IWRA Proceedings

The Groundwater Problem

• Groundwater levels have fallen too deep - from 10-15 m deep 50 year ago to now up to 500 m or more in some places;
• Water scarcity for agriculture, drinking and industry needs

Solution to Groundwater Problems

• Some people suggested control the groundwater use by enacting some law and criminalise if someone breaks the law
• Some people have come up with technical solution – such as have a pump that operates when you insert a smart card  and allows you to pump out allocated amount and stops when you have reached your limit.

Are the above solutions workable in reality and sustainable? What kind of technology and technical solution will work?

Why do we have groundwater problem?

• Greed
• Limited knowledge
• Lack of understanding of what we are doing?

So it is a people related problem. So, we need people-friendly technical, social and policy solutions.

MARVI project – Key Activities

1. Participatory data collection;
2. Sharing information and building understanding;
3. Engaging with policy makers, government agencies, GW users and other stakeholders.

Conclusions

• Complex problems often require simple solutions. This is very much true for groundwater management.
• The participatory, village level monitoring approach developed in MARVI can empower local community and help develop their own groundwater management dialogue and strategies.
• Communication about what is happening, what can be done and how it can be done is the key with a common pool and invisible resource such as groundwater.
• We need to develop and simplify groundwater science that can be used by farmers and implemented by government agencies.
• BJs can collect highly reliable information for groundwater level, rainfall and recharge estimation with simple technology.
• BJ collected data can be used for communicating village scale groundwater balance analysis and modelling
• Villagers can find their solutions if they are supported and nurtured.