Rainwater

Rainwater: Sustainable household water harvesting and security for agricultural production

Growing vegetables at the end of the dry season.

During recent surveys and interactions with local farmers, communities have reported that lack of access to consistent water supplies is the toughest challenge communities’ face, especially in agriculture. It is critical that access to water is improved to sustain farmer’s livelihoods and maintain year-round food production levels to sustain the local population. The project will facilitate local farmers to build a water storage pond, which will ensure they have a reliable source of water year round to support their crops and animals. These ponds are a sustainable method of safeguarding against drought periods caused by the increase in frequent erratic weather patterns. These can play an integral role in improving rice production, especially in the early planting season when the seed beds and field crops are susceptible to drought due to possible infrequent rain. The ponds can be used at the end of the rice season when the dry season arrives early, as it does about every third year for late season rice irrigation. The ponds can also be used to irrigate home gardens, raise fish and water animals, which can provide greater food security and improve nutrition for the family.

ADRA Cambodia has significant experience in pond installation having successfully installed over 650 ponds in Preah Vihear, with cooperation of local farmers. This project proposes to assist farmers in installing 75 ponds in five neighboring remote villages in Preah Vihear which have not had access to a pond installation opportunities in the past. Sixty ponds will be installed at a subsidization rate of (50%) of excavation costs needed to build a pond with the dimensions of 8x10m x 3m deep. The need to protect the ponds from cows and water buffaloes has been identified as important aspect to sustainable pond management; therefore, this project will promote a new form of assistance in installing wire mesh fencing to enable farmers to maintain the ponds integrity and ensure its longevity.

Water storage capacity

To help families mitigate domestic water problems, the project will work with families to install quality rain water tanks and guttering systems building on prior experience and community interest. One constraint in past projects however has been encouraging families without rain gutters to be involved. This project will not only partially support the good quality concrete rings needed to make the water tanks, but will also subsidize a guttering system and PVC pipes to ensure the potential of the water tanks are reached. Three hundred twenty water tank systems will be installed. Ten pilot watering systems will be installed using PVC pipe running from the water tank an identified place of use (i.e. a garden) with a valve attached. The project will subsidize 50% of the cost of materials for the reticulation watering systems and assist in the installation of the pipes and tap while the participants will provide all labour.

As there are currently no private contractors in the target area, ADRA will select a team and train them in quality concrete ring production and water tank installment.  If there is no further follow up project, equipment such as ring molds will be then left with this team when the project is completed so that they can continue to install tanks on a private basis. It is anticipated that even after the conclusion of the project the villagers will realize the value of functioning water tank systems and continue to install them on a more limited basis.