Village: Bagbahal, GP: Sunapur, Block: Boden, District: Nuapada
Saraswati Rout, wife of Bhuta Rout, lives in Bagbahal village of Sunapur gram panchayat of Boden block in Nuapada district. Mrs. Saraswati is an active ward member and one of the Didi leaders of Bagbahal village. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rout attend the meetings, campaigns, training, and workshops conducted by Chale Chalo. She also attended the exposure visit with the team.
Mrs. Laxmi Mahauti, the field facilitator of Chale Chalo, regularly conducts meetings, campaigns, planning exercises, and actions with the Didi members, water volunteers, PRIs, SHGs, adolescents, and community stakeholders and visits their homes to mobilize the beneficiaries, villagers and other stakeholders, share the learning and facilitate understanding building on water, water cycle, watershed treatment, rainwater management, soil conservation, forest protection, plantations, construction, and renovation of the water bodies and promotion of the livelihood activities under available govt schemes such as MGNREGs.
By attending regular meetings/discussions, participating in micro water security plans, and getting sensitized on the issues, the Rout couple decided to renovate their old farm pond near the house to conserve water for agriculture and household use purposes and, with the support and guidance of Mrs. Mahauti, and Didi leaders, they wrote an application to the Sarpanch, but unfortunately, they didn’t receive any response from Sarpanch on progress.
The disappointed couple discussed this matter in the Didi group meeting, and then Mrs. Mahauti and other Didi members suggested working independently and renovating the farm pond under the household and farm-level micro water security plan, with the assistance of their family members. Both of them agreed to this suggestion, and 06 members of their family joined together and finished the mud excavation and renovation work within 07 days. The farm pond is now 10ft deep, containing 4 to 5 ft of water on it. The water from the farm pond is used for agriculture and domestic use.
The couple has also made a stone bunding in the Thelkobeda forest near their house, as the water flows from the streams will help them to slow down the water flow, making the soil moist, recharging the groundwater, and preserving the water for domestic and agricultural uses.
Saraswati Rout has 11 Goats and 2 Oxen, for whom they have made a shelter home near their farm pond. They are composting the animal manure as organic fertilizers in their cereals, pulses, and vegetable cultivations. They are cultivating pigeon peas on the sides of their farm pond on the excavated mud. Apart from these, Mrs. Rout also knows about preparing seed balls oriented by the project team. She has prepared, and thrown the seeds in the forest and now planted the seeds of custard apples in the forest, ridges of their farm ponds, and cultivable lands near the house, expecting the fruits will help them improve their economic condition. The Rout couple shared their hard work in the Didi group meeting and inspired other members with their words. Mrs. Mahauti and Mrs. Chandrakanti Jagat, the junior program associate, visited her home and appreciated her effort and action. Now, all the family members are happy with the farm ponds’ available stored water level and their ensured agricultural activities and produce for self-consumption and selling the surplus in the nearby market.