To minimize the possible risks associated with investing in a
new intervention, most of the initial adopters invested in relatively
shallow structures. Newer structures became progressively deeper
as farmers witnessed the success of the earlier investors. Initially,
the depths of the structures ranged from 1.5 to 7.6 m, with average
depths of 3.5 m in Khategaon and 2.2 m in Tonkkhurd (Table 2).
The current average depths are 3.8 m and 2.7 m, respectively. A
few farmers in the region have invested in structures as deep as
7.6 m, and farmers are increasingly constructing deeper structures
to enhance water storage potential, while minimizing the area they
set aside for that purpose.
Farmers generally adhere to the 6% to 10% land allocation
suggestion, described above, and they do not overinvest in their
structures. Most farmers (87% in Khategaon and 96% in Tonkkhurd)
report that the size of their water harvesting structure is just suffi-
cient to meet their crop water requirements, and they do not have
additional water to sell to neighboring farmers.