Jharkhand State Watershed mission –Watermelon Cultivation
Watershed Mission is the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal, and human communities within a watershed boundary. Features of a watershed that agencies seek to manage include water supply, water quality, drainage, storm water runoff, water rights, and the overall planning and utilization of watersheds. Landowners, land use agencies, storm water management experts, environmental specialists, water use purveyors and communities all play an integral part in the management of a watershed.
Jharkhand is the land of trees, herbs, shrubs and varieties of bio-diversity with undulated topography and different land use pattern. Jharkhand is the ideal state to be taken up under Watershed Development Programme. Therefore, the Government of Jharkhand under the Rural Development Department has registered a State Level Nodal Agency as Jharkhand State Watershed Mission (JSWM) on 17/07/2009 under Society Registration Act 21, 1860 for implementation of Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) under Common Guidelines for Watershed Development Projects, Govt. of India 2008. The Government of Jharkhand has taken initiative under the new guidelines for implementation of watershed projects in the state.
These days when we talk about a progressive woman farmer people in general, don’t accept this idea. This is quite obvious as there are lot of beliefs existing in the society; men can dare to take the risk that is associated with agriculture, men can do the hard work that is associated with agriculture; men are intelligent than women to take suitable decisions related to agriculture and men have won the major assets associated with agriculture. All these beliefs and assumptions have been challenged by many women in Churchu Block of Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand. Initially they felt lonely when their male counterpart migrated to cities in search of job. It was by default that they had to do agriculture, however, these days they have emerged as confident progressive farmers who bears all the attributes of a farmer. Kiran Murmu of Nagri Village of Churchu Block is one among these women who has challenged the thought that only men can do better agriculture.
Kiran Murmu is a member of Haritkranti Mahila Mandal of Tileiyatan hamlet of Nagri village. She lives with her in-law parents, husband and three boy children. Before 5-6 years Rajendra Tudu, husband of Kiran Murmu was a regular trainee of the advanced agricultural practices that was provided by PRADAN. He emerged as one of the best farmer in the Block and was a community resource person of agriculture providing technical support to the farmers of his locality. While helping her husband Kiran Murmu came to know about many advance practices of agriculture. In the year 2010, by the support of PRADAN a lift Irrigation System of her tola was repaired and a hauda was built to support Rajendra’s endeavour. He has always being an example in the locality.
The crop failure (Tomato) in the last year due to heavy continuous rainfall and the urgent need of money for the treatment of his father forced Rajendra Tudu to migrate to Bangalore to work as a sand worker. Kiran Murmu was alone to do agriculture then. She took the challenge and went for onion cultivation during the Rabi season. The pond that was dug by the support of IWMP helped her to irrigate the crop during Rabi season.
With the help of her husband who attended the training on watermelon cultivation provided by PRADAN, she persuaded her family members to go for watermelon during the summer season. Her husband Rajendra got a job as a cook for Konar Mahila Federation that works in Churchu Block. Being alone with a little support from her husband she did not hesitate to go for watermelon cultivation in 40 dismil of land and cucumber cultivation in 2 dismil of land. Families around her, these days appreciate her endeavour.
She has produced 2.5 quintal of onion and she is waiting to sell these during the peak season. As far as watermelon is concerned she has invested Rs 4000 in the initial phase. She has earned around Rs 10000 by selling at the rate of Rs 25 per kg. There is a huge demand of fresh watermelon in the locality. Thus experiencing a remarkable profit from the cultivation of water melon during last time, she got motivated for further production/cultivation of water melon in medium scale. Even during no market days according to her, she sells around 30-40 kgs of watermelon per day. “If I will be able to sell at the rate of Rs 20 per kg, I expect a profit of Rs 50000/- to Rs.60000/- from watermelon” narrates Kiran Murmu.
The path she travelled has not been so smooth. Making her family member convince in the absence of her husband was a major challenge. Free grazing though is controlled a bit, is still a major challenge especially when hardly any farmer go for agriculture during summer. Unavailability of ample irrigation especially during summer was a major concern for her as she could not dare to go for large scale cultivation. Apart from this the strong wind had also damaged the crop to some extent. But her strong will has paved her way.
These days’ people in the nearby villages while travelling along the road see the greenery in the field of Kiran Murmu. In the hot summer when people don’t dare to come out of home, Kiran Murmu has set an example in front of the farmers.
A women is definitely not a home maker, she is more than that, successfully proved by Kiran Murmu.
