Ms. Manulaxmi Yadav will present her APS as per the detail below:

Date: 28 February 2024

Time: 1230-1330 hrs.

Venue: C-TARA Conference Room No.1

Topic: The Role of Women in Groundwater Management for Enhancing Livelihood status in India

Guide: Prof Pennan Chinnasamy

RPC members: Prof Priya Jadhav, Prof Sarmistha Pattanaik

Groundwater is a critical water resource in India. The groundwater security issues are raising serious questions, including hydrological, societal, agricultural, and gender perspectives.  Studies and researchers have focused on the scientific aspect of groundwater, and not much on societal and gender perspectives related to it. Thus, there is an immediate need to identify the gaps and understand the groundwater issues in the context of gender. This study investigates the role of women in groundwater management and its impact on livelihoods, as a case study in rural Maharashtra, India, with a focus on the Parbhani district. The selection of the study area is based on a comprehensive set of nine parameters, including location, data accessibility, rainfall, feminization of agriculture, gender issues, groundwater level scenario, participation in MGNREGA for groundwater recharge structures, farm suicides, and different water sources. Two villages, Babhulgaon, and Pimpalgaon Thombare, were selected for comparative analysis on the influence of groundwater issues on education, social security, health, and economic livelihood.

The field observations revealed a significant feminization of agriculture, with women assuming dual responsibilities of managing domestic and irrigation water. Gender wage disparity in agriculture emerged as a challenge, impacting women's economic empowerment. The study also highlighted the consequences of farm suicides, leaving women as sole cultivators of agricultural land. The hypothesis is that increasing groundwater levels and sustainable groundwater management can enhance women's livelihoods and empower them to make water-related decisions.

Through community-based initiatives, women actively engage in groundwater management, gaining knowledge of crop patterns and water optimization. The study underscores the importance of addressing gender dynamics, providing support for dual responsibilities, and empowering women as key stakeholders in agricultural development. Comprehensive interventions are needed to promote gender equity, community resilience, and sustainable rural economies. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on water resource management and rural livelihood enhancement, advocating for inclusive policies and practices to uplift women in the agrarian sector.