Overall targets
Rural communities use water sustainably in a way that eradicates overuse of groundwater and preserves water quality.
Immediate targets
1. All target groups understand why and how they should use groundwater in a sustainable way. 2. JGVK, CBOs and community groups can advocate to relevant government institutions regarding solutions for unsustainable groundwater use, vulnerable embankments and poor field drainage systems. 3. The target population have adopted sustainable water use that reduces overuse of the resource and preserves the water quality of drinking water.
Target groups
The primary target groups are: Communities: farmers; Self Help Groups (SHG), Village committee (VC), Water User Group (WUG) and Village Disaster Management Committees (VDMC), school children and Local government institutions The secondary target group is: Local partner organizations (JGVK, KTT and other CBOs).
Resume
The project will create a sustainable management of water resources in 7 Blocks in West Bengal, which is now threatened by overuse of groundwater, threat from fragile dams, bacterial contaminated drinking water and arsenic in groundwater. We will work with farmers to reduce groundwater consumption for irrigation of rice fields, as well as advocate together with village committees to strengthen the dikes and work with women to improve the hygienic use of water at home. Our approach is advocacy and capacity building of village committees and organizations. Our partner JGVK works in collaboration with 6 other organizations to spread the effort and gather support for advocacy to the district. The project is based on the previous project on water and resilience.