91

A rejuvenated lake protects biodiversity and the community

flourishes, too

eri kere, a lake in

Sangedevarakoppa

Village, Dharwad District, Karnataka, was

drying up. A community initiative driven by

the NGO MANUVIKASA in collaboration

with the Gram Panchayat, decided to

rejuvenate the water body. What resulted was

not merely the availability of water, so that

women and children no longer had to travel

long distances to collect it. ere were multiple

other positive outcomes: the degradation of the

lake plagued by garbage and sewage waste was

prevented. Safety of the villagers was improved

as open defecation reduced considerably.

Consistent water access made irrigation easier,

thus farmers paddy yields increased and

kitchen gardens thrived. In short, prosperity

and economic revival came to the village.

Such transformative programmes are the

hallmark of MANUVIKASA which started

with forest and water conservation initiatives

in one village in Karnataka, and has now

grown to impact over a thousand more, by

fostering innovate strategies for sustainable

farming, conservation, and community

management of natural resources for

climate resilience, and more. Its projects are

supported by CSR initiatives, international

organizations and government departments.

Founded by Ganapati Bhat in 2003

MANUVIKASA believes in the

development of sustainable

livelihoods, improved education,

enriched environment and the

development of good human values.

It seeks to catalyse economic

development by ensuring sustainable

natural resource use, reducing

dependency through alternative

livelihoods, and fostering prosperity

for farmers through enhanced

water availability and resource

conservation. To date, it has helped

in the harvesting of 8,500 billion

litres of rainwater, along with

rejuvenating 244 lakes and 3,421

farm ponds, impacting over 10,000

rural families.

MANUVIKASA

•

•

••

•