Many farmers in Coimbatore district had started abandoning their farm lands, and taking up other trades. Agriculture had become unviable as the area carries a high risk of drought, and its natural resources were fast declining. To reverse this dangerous trend, L&T instituted a participatory watershed programme along with the Pappampatti panchayat. The objective was to create a positive impact on the area’s natural resources, livelihoods and the environment.

As a part of the project, L&T constructed water harvesting and groundwater recharging structures. The watersheds, along with interventions, helped retain rainwater effectively, and were later utilised diligently. The farmers in the watershed villages were trained in lean farming techniques, helping them achieve higher productivity with lesser input costs. After many knowledge empowerment sessions by professionals, farmers started preparing organic manure. This manure has the potential to improve immunity of plants, against pests and diseases. Empowered with better knowledge on spraying organic and chemical formulations, farmers started practicing inter-cropping patterns, which involves planting crops with vegetables, leguminous fodder and minor millets.

The natural resource management activities helped improve groundwater availability. The interventions included water harvesting and curbing soil erosion. This helped improve cropping intensity, and diversified the use of land systems into areas like livestock management, horticulture, and vegetable cultivation. The number of income generating activities increased due to allied trades.

Ms. Sarojini of Chinnakalangal village of Pappampatti watershed is grateful to L&T. Her lands had been lying barren for a decade, before they were brought into cultivation. L&T’s interventions used chisel and disc ploughing, and trench cum field bund formation. She is now confident of cultivating a second crop in her fields, thanks to water retention.

Mr. Rangasamy increased his cropping area due to a substantial rise of water level of his borewells. He diversified his pattern of cultivation to include vegetable production. He feels very motivated through methodical interventions, rendered by L&T.

L&T’s watershed programmes brought Mr. Eswaran of Peedampalli village in Pappampatti back to farming. He had left his farms barren earlier as agriculture had become difficult. He started cultivating Drumstick (Moringa) in his fields which were adjacent to a channel renovated by L&T. Farming had become profitable for him, once again.