Programmes

Building People Organisations

Historically the breakdown of village institutions has drastically affected the lives of tank-dependent communities. DHAN Foundation believes that the absence of people institutions to run, manage and govern the tank systems is one of the major reasons for the decline of the system and that only village level institutions can save these assets. Therefore to build the skills, encourage new initiatives, augment resources and ensure entitlements, the programme focuses on building people organisations that will conserve and develop water harvesting structures.

Tanks are first identified such that:

	Small and marginal farmers are a majority
	Incidence of poverty is high among villagers
	Tanks are the only source of water
	Tanks and wells are used jointly
	Tanks that promote percolation (recharging the aquifer).

After the tanks are selected, Tank Farmers Associations (TFAs) called Vayalagams are formed with farmers of the village. Tank Cascade Associations (Cascade Vayalagams) are based on how the tanks are linked and are formed with the relevant TFAs. Tank Farmers Federations (Vayalagam Federations) are then formed at the block level where all the Tank Farmers Associations and Tank Cascade Associations become members. The Federation is registered under the Societies Act. There exists a nested relationship among the various Tank Farmers Associations, Tank Cascade Associations and Tank Farmers Federations. These institutions protect and develop the tanks.