Farmers in Gujarat capture rain for use during dry seasons
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In Gujarat, India, Biplab Ketan Paul developed Bhungroo, a system that helps farmers store excess monsoon rainwater underground to use during the dry season.
Paul noticed farmers in the region faced a cycle of flooding during the monsoon followed by long periods of drought. He worked with engineers and local women farmers to create Bhungroo, which directs rainwater through a filtered pipe deep into the ground, storing it in underground aquifers.
Each Bhungroo system is custom-designed to account for the specific soil, rainfall, and underground water conditions of each farm, relying heavily on farmers’ existing knowledge of their land. This allows farmers to avoid waterlogging and evaporation while creating a reserve of water for irrigation when the monsoon rains stop. The system also improves agricultural land in saline regions by reducing groundwater salinity. Naireeta Services, founded by Trupti Jain, now focuses on involving women farmers in the implementation of Bhungroo.
Groups of five women can share access to the stored water, increasing their income and food security and reducing the need to migrate for work. Since its creation in 2004, Bhungroo has expanded beyond Gujarat to other Indian states and countries like Bangladesh, Ghana, and Vietnam, receiving recognition from the World Bank and the UN.
