The present paper explains about collaborative attempts of community, industry, Bhujal Jankars, voluntary organization and a knowledge firm on management of shallow and deep aquifer systems in coastal areas of Gujarat State of India. The project has been implemented at two types of aquifer systems sandstone as regional deep aquifer and fractured and weathered shallow basalts in Kachchh and Saurasthra coastal regions respectively. The coverage of various project activities is in around 350 rural pockets, 6 towns from both the project locations.
The key activities implemented are participatory aquifer mapping, groundwater and rainfall monitoring, data collection and dissemination, demand supply estimation based micro level water security plans, demonstrations and implementation GW recharge activities, action research for designing MAR structures, capacity building of Bhujal Jankar, formation farmer groups, aquifer based institutions, developing protocols, educating decision makers, setting up of knowledge centers managed by Bhujal Jankars and field learning laboratory for MAR.
An independent self reliant enterprising firm of BJ’s catering knowledge services to area, adaptation of various practices such as selection of water efficient crops, use of silts collected in MAR structure to improve soil fertility and moisture holding capacity, discharge measurement based groundwater usage by farmers, reorganization of local resources as primary drinking water source and investment on it’s maintenance by Gram panchyat and district administration are important outcomes of the projects so far.
All these outcomes have proven that knowledge support provided by centers have empowered community for proper demand and supported administrations for region specific plan and investments. Also the process has attracted many donors to revive the GW resources as sustainable solutions. Attempts are still going on how to design an institution framework at state level and what should be the exact shape, roles, responsibilities, ownership and partnership fabrics of such knowledge centers.