Water harvesting through application of social marketing strategy – a case study in banwar village, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Abstract

The present study was carried out in a dry tract of central plateau region (Banwar village, Madhya Pradesh, India) by a team of trainee scientists inducted for the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), India. Observations recorded in the village indicated the harsh effects of declining water table owing to poor precipitation and the need for water harvesting to sustain people's livelihood since agriculture being their primary profession. Considering social marketing strategy, the goal was set to recharge groundwater and increase the water availability for irrigation purpose. Visualising groundwater recharge through water harvesting as the end product; organising training programmes, method demonstrations, village level exhibitions and visit to other successful water harvesting regions were set as the promotion strategies to achieve the set goal. Work plan was devised by the trainee scientists and set to act further. Nevertheless, successful social marketing needs the partnership of local government bodies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that play a significant role in changing the complex social structure of the people—the ultimate beneficiaries of end product.