This manual by Ibtada addresses water scarcity in arid regions by detailing how communities can design, build, and manage decentralized rainwater harvesting systems. It focuses on three key structures—check dams, field embankments (maeds), and ponds (johads)—that work together to capture runoff, increase soil moisture, and recharge groundwater. The approach is deeply collaborative, requiring community involvement from planning through maintenance. This strategy transforms seasonal rainfall into a reliable water resource for irrigation and livestock, enabling multiple cropping cycles and building long-term resilience against drought.

Ibtada is a not-for-profit, non-governmental development organisation working in the Mewat region of Rajasthan. It is a grassroots effort dedicated to mainstreaming deprived women in the region through organising, educating, and empowering them. They operate in 550 villages across 8 blocks of Alwar, 1 block of Bharatpur, and 1 block of Dausa districts in Rajasthan, as well as 2 blocks of Jhansi and 1 block of Chitrakoot in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. As part of its expansion efforts, Ibtada has recently begun interventions in Dausa and the Bundelkhand region.

They can be reached via:

Mail: info@ibtada.in