Shivganga's Dharti ka Halma (Water Conservation with Tribal Community)
About the Solution
This solution by Shivganga revives the traditional tribal practice of Halma in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, transforming it into a large-scale community movement for water conservation. Traditionally, Halma was a way for the community to come together to support one household in times of need. Shivganga reimagined this practice to address the urgent challenge of depleting water reserves that threatened agriculture and forced distress migration.
Every year, thousands of villagers gather under the banner of Dharti ka Halma to construct water harvesting structures such as contour trenches, ponds, and recharge pits. Rooted in cultural and spiritual values, the initiative combines traditional wisdom with modern technical support, creating a powerful example of collective action. The effort has restored water sources, revived agriculture, and inspired a sense of ownership and pride among the tribal community.
Shivganga is a grassroots organization working with the Bhil tribal community in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh. Founded with the vision of empowering tribal communities through self-reliance, Shivganga integrates cultural identity with modern development strategies. Its initiatives span natural resource management, water conservation, youth leadership, health, and livelihoods all rooted in the principle of parmarth (selfless service)They can be reached via:
Phone: 9406922130, 9588296068
Mail: Contact@shivgangajhabua.org
Training
Category – Capacity Building & Training, Handholdnig
Sub-Category – Water Conservation
Duration – N/A
Group Size – N/A
Willingness to travel – Yes
Languages Supported – N/A
Certification – N/A
Assessment – N/A
Mode – N/A
Institution / Trainer – Shivganga
Schedule – N/A
Short Description –
Audience:
NGOs, CSOs, Social Workers
Objectives:
To conserve and recharge groundwater through community-built water harvesting structures.
To revive agriculture and reduce distress migration in tribal regions.
To build on tribal cultural values of cooperation and collective responsibility.
To create a replicable model of community-led natural resource management.
To strengthen community pride and ownership over local resources.