Partners in Sustainable Development
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Multiple-use Water Services (MUS), status, challenges and approaches to optimal management
The research outcome on RCSD approach
to multiple-use water services (MUS) is about taking people’s multiple water
needs as the starting point and in identifying opportunities within the
water limitations & changing environment, in planning and design of existing
cropping and water resource systems for up-gradation. Resourceful planning
for multiple uses has helped in realizing multiple benefits towards food and
income security, better health, drudgery reduction and gender equity.
RCSD project on Strengthening Indigenous people’s response to Multiple Use
water services supported by Arghyam for food, water, livelihood, safe health
& sanitation security is an innovative approach in the implementation of MUS
and for its scaling up at multiple levels. Project partnership established
with thirty- seven Resource Management Groups has lead to the establishment
of innovated and successful MUS models at the homestead and community-scale
for food security, poverty reduction and gender equity. While a simultaneous
WATSAN initiatives covering household water treatment and hygiene education
within the Groups, school children and the community have helped in gaining
access to better human and environment health that further supplement &
strengthens the MUS.
Recognizing the fact that MUS offer an
effective route to improve food and livelihood opportunities amongst the
poor and women and also leads to environment benign, the project field
tested and analyzed the MUS at the homestead-scale (e.g. home gardens,
homestead ponds) and community-scale (e.g. community reservoirs) by
supporting crop water management efforts in home gardens & in farm fields
from supplementary irrigation
gained from ponds/reservoirs, support additional productive water
sub-sectors (e.g. pisciculture, ducks rearing) on same water resources for
the same people, make more water available for bathing, sanitation and
drinking, leading to the reduction in the incidence of waterborne diseases
improve health, food and nutritional security and finally contribute to
surface & ground water management for sustained land and water productivity
RCSD-MUS implementation framework is of a localized approach which is also a learning experience model for continuous improvement and adjustments.