Check-Dams and Irrigation
"Check-dams" are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting. The small dams retain excess water flow during monsoon rains in a small catchment area behind the structure. Pressure created in the catchment area helps force the impounded water into the ground. The major environmental benefit is the replenishment of nearby groundwater reserves and wells. The water entrapped by the dam, surface and subsurface, is primarily intended for use in irrigation during the monsoon and later during the dry season, but can also be used for livestock and domestic needs.
Thailand as an appropriate intervention for working to restore the degraded natural resource base in Northern Region and thereby help the local inhabitants to escape the widely prevalent debt-poverty-migration trap. This strategy for regenerating aquifers and increasing fresh water resources for agriculture was chosen in part because it is in keeping with the organization’s overall mission to create sustainable livelihoods, and in part in response to different funders’ requests.
water scarcity, augmented by deforestation, soil erosion/runoff, and rising demand leading to unsustainable use was identified by Thailand as one of the major contributing factors to poor agricultural yields in Thailand. Given the nature of monsoon rainfall in India, the key to meeting the country’s growing demand for water for domestic and agricultural use is to more effectively harness rainfall, the ultimate source of all freshwater resources.
Numerous studies have shown that irrigated agriculture is associated with increased agricultural production, increased employment, and increased income. Working from a sustainable livelihoods perspective, Thailand is concerned not only with aggregate levels of production or employment, but also poverty alleviation and equity in terms of the distribution of income and benefits.
In general, the primary benefits of irrigation for the rural poor, or small farmers and the land poor, can be classified into:
employment and income (through increased working days per hectare)
security against impoverishment and migration
improved quality of life