Rainwater: The most underused climate solution

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

In India's drought-prone regions, even the size of a wheat grain tells a story. In normal times, the grain is full and firm. In dry years, it shrinks to half its size — or doesn't grow at all, forcing families to switch to millets or abandon farming altogether. School-age girls are pulled from classrooms to help fetch water as nearby wells dry up. In many villages, the land is too parched for anything but millet, and even that is becoming uncertain. But then, one rainwater harvesting check dam is constructed — and suddenly, the next crop season tells a different story. Grain quality improves. Soil regenerates. Incomes stabilise. And hope returns.
Water scarcity impacts more than agriculture — it's multi-pervasive. Salinity rises. Soil degrades. Fluoride levels spike. And far beyond the field, it drives migration, weakens nutrition, restricts school attendance, and disproportionately burdens women. In the absence of water, livelihoods vanish, and the social fabric frays.
Groundwater is the primary source of irrigation for over 90% of farmers in arid regions, yet it continues to decline due to over-extraction and poor recharge. Over 53% of rural income in arid regions today comes from non-farm sources — not because people want to diversify, but because farming no longer pays. This is a silent but escalating crisis.
One of the most scalable solutions is also one of the oldest: rainwater harvesting. Simple structures like check dams, aquashafts, and recharge ponds can improve groundwater levels by 10–15% within two monsoons. Paired with techniques like drip irrigation and agroforestry, the impact multiplies — in soil health, yield stability, and climate resilience.
Ironically, modern technology has been both a boon and a bane. Deep tube wells, powered by subsidised electricity or solar energy, have allowed farmers to dig deeper for water — accelerating the collapse of groundwater levels. Without rainwater recharge, these systems become unsustainable.
That's where rainwater harvesting comes in—an ancient solution with modern urgency. More than 4,000 years ago, the Harappans of Dholavira harvested rainwater through an intricate system of stepped tanks and filtration chambers. If they could do it on an island in the Rann of Kutch, surely, we can do better today.
New models are emerging across India. For instance, in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, Rotary International's Program of Scale is working on water conservation by building over 90 check dams and more than 700 water harvesting structures over five years, along with fruit tree cultivation, micro-irrigation systems, and farmer training.
As part of the initiative, a cluster of 500,000 fruit trees is being developed in Rajasthan. These will not only enhance income security but also act as carbon sinks, helping mitigate climate impact in one of the country's most vulnerable zones.
As farmers begin to earn from orchard-based models, they invest further—expanding plantations, adopting new techniques, and reducing dependency on mono-cropping. This creates a cycle of resilience and ownership that is both scalable and self-sustaining.
The success of such efforts lies not just in their outputs, but in what they represent: a shift from crisis response to climate adaptation. When communities, civil society, and local institutions collaborate around sustainable practices, the benefits ripple outward — touching not just yields, but dignity, education, and long-term economic stability.
As we observed World Environment Day recently, the message is clear: Invest in rainwater harvesting, strengthen local agriculture, and build resilience from the ground up. India does not need to wait for high-tech miracles — the solutions are already here.
This article is authored by KS Mehta, senior advisor, lead architect, Rotary International's Program of Scale, Partners for Water Access and Better Harvests in India.