Turning a Desert Green

Overview

• Travelled to the Thar Desert, Northwest India.
• World's most densely populated desert (25 million people).
• Extremely harsh conditions: one of the hottest places on Earth.
• Despite harshness, a thriving agricultural system is present.
• Key concepts: water resilience, food resilience, climate resilience.

Major Techniques for Sustainability

1. Building the Perfect Pond

   • Large surface ponds are crucial in the desert.
   • Ponds are strategically placed to maximize water collection during brief monsoon rains.
   • Overflow from ponds is managed to optimize water use.
   • Example: Pond dug out with villagers with a consistent water supply (previous source was 10 km away).

2. Water Harvesting Basins

   • Fields act as water harvesting basins, collecting overflow from ponds.
   • Spillways lead to a series of agricultural fields that benefit from rainwater.
   • Farmers have a narrow window to plant crops, utilizing moisture stored in soil.
   • Integration of tree cropping aids in soil stability and erosion control.
   • Example crops: Ked and Bear trees, which provide food and additional benefits.

3. Home Scale Water Harvesting

   • Rainwater collection and storage at the household level is critical.
   • Women traditionally fetch water, impacting education and time management.
   • Tonas: underground storage systems constructed from Ferro cement for domestic water supply.
   • Example: A 20,000 L tank collects runoff from roofs and hillside.
   • Sand filters are used to ensure water quality before storage.

Historical Techniques

• Ancient wells excavated to store surface runoff instead of accessing groundwater.
• Example: A well holding 300,000 L of water, supplying two families year-round.

Impact of Gravis Organization

• Founded in 1983, focused on uplifting marginalized communities.
• Promotes rainfed agriculture and sustainable practices.
• Over 40 years of work in the Thar Desert has transformed lives, making the area habitable.
• Encourages community-level water harvesting and resource management strategies.

Conclusion

• The work of Gravis demonstrates that resilience can be achieved in harsh climates.
• Potential for creating lush landscapes and improving food security in desert regions.
• Invitation to join the online permaculture design course for further learning and application of these techniques.