Rainwater harvesting using plastic-lined doba technology for orchard establishment in the eastern plateau and hill region of India

Abstract

The plateau region of Chotanagpur and Santhal Parganas is characterized by undulating hills and mountains and non-existence of perennial rivers. The area under fruit orchards is increasing rapidly in the eastern plateau region. To make profitable use of less productive uplands, farmers of the eastern plateau and hill region have recently shifted their focus from paddy–pulse cropping sequence to cultivation of fruit-based farming systems. Generally the saplings are planted during July to September. Initially there is no dearth of water and the plants grow well with the available monsoon water. As the monsoon withdraws, water drains out of the area and soils of midlands and uplands start losing moisture. During April to May, the plants face severe water stress and unless some watering is done it is practically impossible for them to survive. Although use of soil moisture conservation techniques for groundwater recharge are efficient tools for improving plant growth of fruit trees of more than 2 years of age, the raised water level is not enough for supplying moisture to shallow roots of newly planted trees. To combat such water stress to the newly established orchards, a plastic-lined ‘doba’ technology has been developed at ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region (RCER).