How an agrarian village hit by drought has coped with climate change is worthy of emulation.
Karunapuram grama panchayat on the Tamil Nadu border has seen it all. Over the years, it has turned from a rain-plenty area into a rain shadow area. Initially, farmers sunk borewells to tide over water shortage, which too was of no avail with the fall in groundwater table. People shifted from the village in the face of an acute drinking water shortage.
To adapt to climate change, the grama panchayat began studies three years ago and went back to traditional farming methods by cultivating fruit trees.
Simultaneously, steps to store water by recharging wells and building check-dams were adopted. The shift in cultivation was from cardamom, pepper, and other spices to fruit trees, grama panchayat president Tomy Plavuvachathil says.
He says many farmers had kept their land fallow in the absence of rain. However, changes are perceptible now, he said adding that the local body was the only one in the region that did not supply drinking water on tankers during the last summer season.
4,000 harvesting tanks
There are 4,000 household rainwater harvesting tanks in the grama panchayat, in addition to 1,200 recharged wells and borewells.
“The borewells sunk in the past have been recharged. No new borewells have been sunk in the period,” he says adding that 14 check-dams have been built to store rainwater.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has been diverted for water rejuvenation projects and nurseries of fruit saplings.
A panchayat official says fruit trees are preferred as the climate at Karunapuram is similar to the rain shadow areas of Marayur and Kanthallur. The farm output may not be on a par with that of Kanthallur considering the soil conditions. Old-timers say the climate in Karunapuram was once similar to that of the high ranges. It was one of the main centres of spices production before it turned into a rain shadow area. Now the climate is similar to that of Tamil Nadu.
Gone with the trees
Prabhakaran, a resident, says tree cover on the border with Tamil Nadu had disappeared after systemic felling. It was the tree cover that cooled the clouds resulting in rain. The trees disappeared over the years and the village became a rain shadow area.
Steps to scientifically harvest rainwater were started by the local body five years ago. The green cover has been restored now, Mr. Plavuvachathil says adding that steps are being taken in consultations with the Agriculture Department.
He says the main fruit saplings grown are jackfruit, pomegranate, gooseberry, guava, orange, and rambutan.
