Mitigating Droughts through Community Empowerment
Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS), Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Contact: Dr. Prakash Tyagi
Dates: April 2018 – April 2021
Total Budget: Rs.12,66,840
2020 Budget: Rs.4,20,440
In this project, GRAVIS is working on several fronts to improve life in 3 villages in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. They have organized Village Development Committees (VDCs) and women’s Self-Help Groups to promote community organization and self-reliance, and they are providing ongoing training to these groups to operate more effectively. Rainwater harvesting tanks (Taankas) and Bio-Sand Filters (BSF) have been constructed to provide clean water for household use, and seed banks are being developed to provide a reliable supply of crop varieties that are suited to the local soil and water conditions. This year GRAVIS organized a convention at Jodhpur to bring farmers together with agricultural scientists to promote improved agricultural methods, and they have organized training sessions to help farmers cope with climate change.
