KFP's innovative technique of storing water underground gives immense benefits

a) Solution for Water Crisis
Out of the 80% rainwater harvested 40-50% is stored as soil moisture for crops.
So there is no evaporation loss, no run-off and no silt deposition.
Water is retained by the soil for a long time. Even in summer, soil can be found moist at 1 ft depth.
Once the field capacity of the soil is achieved, water further infiltrates in the ground increasing the ground water level.
This results in rise of water-level in the wells, bore-wells and rivers even in low rainfall.

Water level in the well raised even in low rainfall

KFP is an answer to low rainfall, heavy rainfall and erratic rainfall.

Low rainfall - Drought Situation:
Whatever amount of water received in low rain is directly infiltrated in the ground. So there are no evaporation & run-off losses.
KFP holds soil moisture throughout the year, so even when there is low rainfall, the already present moisture pulls water and soil moisture level is maintained.
Thus every available drop of water is utilized and made available for crops.

Heavy rainfall - Flood Situation:
Even in heavy rainfall KFP infiltrates very high amount of water in ground and at a good speed. Thus there is no water logging in the field and no run-off loss of rainwater

Erratic rainfall:
Now a day rainfalls are uncertain. Numbers of rainfall days have decreased, it rains heavily when rains and with long dry spells in between.
Firstly crops get badly hampered in heavy rains and furthermore there are dry spells which they can't sustain.
KFP does its job of infiltration in heavy rains, so crops do not decay in logged water. And in dry spells the maintained moisture acts as a buffer for crops and they sustain this period.

b) Solution for Water Logging
Unscientific management of soil, water and crops in irrigated lands and obstruction of natural drainage systems by various developmental activities are the main factors responsible for disrupting the balance of inflow and outflow of water, leading to water logging.
KFP structure acts as a conduit for rainwater and almost 80% rainwater seeps into the ground.
This activity develops and builds ground-water channels, through which water further flows toward the wells or rivers.
Thus a proper drainage system is formed preventing water from getting stagnant in the field.

Farm Pond		KFP Structure
In KFP Structure Complete water is infiltrated in the ground. No water logging in the field and the land near bandhara can also be used.

c) Prevents Soil Erosion
The almost unlimited harvesting capacity of KFP makes it effective in very heavy rains. KFP recharges rainwater with very high speed. Thus water neither clogs for too long in the field nor does it flow away, but it seeps into the ground. This stopping of run-off of water concurrently avoids soil erosion.

d) Saves Electricity by natural way of irrigation
1 KFP structure harvests more than 8000 cubic meter water annually in 1 hectare farm, from 1000 mm average rainfall & 2/3rd of this water (i.e. approx 5000 cu mtr) is available to crop as moisture in top 4 meters soil without any irrigation power.

Power required for irrigation of 1 hectare farm with 5000 cu mtr of water, where water is either lifted from bore well or transported from 2-3 km distant irrigation tanks, is minimum 1500kwh @ 0.3 unit / cu mtr

Annual power required to irrigate mini watershed zone of 500 ha with 2.5 million (25 lakhs) cu mtr water is 
0.75 million (7.5 lakhs) units .

By implementing KFP in a mini watershed zone of 500 ha at a cost of Rs. 11.25 million* (112.5 lakhs) we can harvest 4 million (40 lakhs) cu mtr water from 1000mm average rains.
We will save transportation of 2.5 million cu mtr water required for irrigation, from bore-wells or distant irrigation tanks. Balance 1.5 million cu mtr water will increase water level of the existing wells and/or will increase the ground water table every year.

Thus annual power saved using KFP in mini watershed zone of 500 ha land will be 0.75 million units

e) Increases Crop Production
KFP increases Green Water Level from normal 10% to 40% i.e. 4 times more moisture. This moisture is retained by the soil for longer period, such that soil can be found moist at 1 ft depth even in summer. Thus in 4 - 5 years additional crop can be harvested.

This long retained moisture acts as a buffer and increases the ability of crops to sustain the dry spells. 
Also as the water is provided from beneath the ground the roots tend to go deep into the ground which increases their strength and make them absorb more minerals from deeper soil.

In case of Orchards where tree roots are already deeper, KFP is extremely effective, drastically reducing the irrigation needs.

With KFP, crop harvest is high in quantity and quality.

f) Increases Soil fertility and reduces the need of chemical fertilizers
Due to the long lasting soil moisture the micro-organisms in the soil survive for longer period and also increase in numbers. Their activity aerates the soil making it fertile. Additionally, their produced waste itself is organic manure.
Also as there is no run-off and soil erosion, organic matters and fertile sediments of the soil remain trapped in the field adding to its fertility.
Such natural fertilization thus reduces the need of chemical fertilizers.
KFP may help in acidic soil conditions by taking acid away from the root zone to deep in the ground.

g) Decreases health hazards
Water-borne disease is the single greatest threat to global health, According to a 2007 United Nations report, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from water-borne diseases.
In India alone, there are 128 million people without access to improved water source.

KFP raises groundwater level and thus the water in the wells also rises. This water rises in the well after getting filtered through soil. The water is also thereby soft and non saline.
Varsha-Jal thus solves drinking water problem of a village, if implemented on appropriate scale.

h) Low cost & No Maintenance
Groundwater level is decreasing day by day. Farmers who are dependent on wells and bore-wells tend to borrow and dug the wells further only to find no water. But the farmer is drowned in loan and has to spend entire life repaying it.

KFP is a relief to farmers as it is a low cost single solution to all the water related problems of agriculture.
It is a permanent solution that works for minimum 200 years that too without a single paisa for maintenance.
Thus invest once for your 6 generations to come.

Wonders of KFP at Large Scale

If KFP is implemented at a larger level, it won’t just solve the water scarcity problem for agriculture but it has a very wide scope in tackling other major issues.

a) Solution to Drought

• Increases Groundwater Level - As 80% rainwater seeps into the ground in KFP, this water gradually increases groundwater table. This water builds and develops underground water channels and the water further flows to rivers.
• Solution to Drying Wells
  There are 19 million wells & bore-wells in India. KFP can  replenish  the depleting water table of well of small individual farmers at one time cost of Rs 45,000 - 50,000 by making 2 no. of KFP structures in the vicinity of the well. Contrary to the direct well recharge where there is problem of muddy water entering the well, KFP gives filtered water.
• Drinking Water crisis of a Village - (Min. Area 100 ha)
  Lack of access to clean drinking water causes water-related diseases affecting the lives of village people. In KFP, water gets filtered through soil layers & unpolluted water reaches drinking water wells, increasing its level.
  By investing  Rs. 2.25 million* (25.5 Lakhs) for implementing KFP in 100 hectare field near drinking water wells of the village, we can harvest  0.5 million (5 Lakhs) cu mtr water annually and make villages tanker-free permanently.

Tanker-fed village uo to 2003 Bokud Jalgaon, Tanda near Kedia Farm		Now this village is selling water even in drought year 2009
A Picture of Change

• Reviving Dying Rivers
  KFP can rejuvenate dead rivers, If implemented on 2 km width, of both sides of a river. This will cost around Rs 2.25 million* per sq km. Over a period of 4 to 5 years the water table of this area will gradually rise and underground water will flow towards the river bed and other water bodies. Simultaneously Agricultural produce of this zone will increase and the savings in the Irrigation Power Generation Cost itself is sufficient to recover Rs 900 million* investments in 4 years for a 100 km long river.

b) Protection of Flood Plains
Floods are caused in low-lying areas when rainwater doesn’t find its way to underground aquifers at a speed and flows out of the field, carrying with it precious soil.
KFP increases ground water table by harvesting 80% rainwater underground. This creates new drainage line for rainwater and builds groundwater channels, thereby preventing floods.
Total flood prone zone’s area will need treatment under KFP costing Rs 2.25 million* per sq km.

c) Solution to Food Crisis
The deficiency of low yield lies in the ability of crop to cope with Dry-Spells i.e. period of water stress during crop growth. Crop cannot sustain this stress and die as there is no water underground.

Rockstrom & Falkenmark (2000) show that crop-yields can be doubled in rain-fed semi-arid farming systems from 0.5 – 1 Ton per hectare to 2 Ton per hectare, by just -

• 15 - 25% increase in soil Infiltration and
• 15 - 20% increase in the proportion of Productive to Non-productive Vapor  Flow.

[Reference from:  Page-80: Rethinking Water Management (Innovative Approach to Contemporary Issues) Edited by Caroline M Figueres, Tortagada & J. Rockstrom, published by Earthscan year 2005]

And KFP can increase this upto 4-5 times.
This huge amount of water is seeped in the ground and is held in form of soil moisture.
This soil moisture creates a buffer for poorly performing water balance during unreliable monsoon. The moisture is trapped in the soil for a long period.
In 4-5 years farmer can easily yield an extra crop.

d) Global warming & Carbon credit
Carbon footprint for making 1 KFP structure is less than 150 kg, which will save annually 1.65 tons of carbon emissions for 200 years.
KFP saves huge amount of power required for irrigation because it increases moisture in the root zone, & water is made available to plant roots without electricity.
Reduced consumption of chemical fertilizer will also save carbon emissions
If implemented at all India level in 100 million ha rain-fed agriculture land, it can save CER to the tune of 160.5 million ton per year by power saving alone.
Imagine the role played by moist soil of 80 million ha throughout the year in lowering soil temperature.  

e) Stops sea water ingress in coastal area
Sea water tends to get into wells and bore-wells of the land near sea, making the water saline and not potable. KFP percolates rainwater i.e. soft water and the groundwater channels are activated over the period. It provides soft water to these wells and bore-wells. Sea water being hard settles down and soft water get lifted above, which is available for use.

f) Stops rising of seawater level
Due to global warming seawater is rising dramatically, due to which the land goes under submergence. In KFP almost 80% rainwater is first seeped into the ground and after attaining the field capacity, water then flows to groundwater channels and rivers. Whereas currently huge amount of water flows directly towards rivers as run-offs from the fields. Thus KFP can prevent the rise of seawater level if it is implemented on a very large scale.

To view scope of K.F.P. at India level - Click Here

Social benefits of KFP

• Reduced flood intensity will save lives & property.
• Unpolluted drinking water will decrease otherwise health problems.
• Increased crop production will give more opportunities at village level & this will stop migration of village people towards towns & cities.
• Will stop the suicides of farmers.
• In case of drought period, people need not sell their animals or property.
• 5-10 year old trees will not die due to drought.
• Solving water crisis will automatically prevent food crisis.
• It will reduce water related conflicts between states.
• No need to transfer River Basin waters from different climatic zones because all water related problems can be solved locally from freely available sky-water harvesting.
• It will provide Water Security in rural areas.