Ruza, a traditional water harvesting system for the water-scarce mountains

Ruza, a traditional water harvesting system for the water-scarce mountains

Subject : Geography

Section: Physical geography

Context:

• Kikruma, a rainshadow village in Nagaland’s Phek district, practices Ruza, a traditional water harvesting system, to overcome water scarcity and achieve good harvests for nearly a century.

About Ruza- Water Harvesting System of Kirkima, Nagaland:

• The indigenous system of irrigation and agricultural practice in this region, called the Ruza system, more popularly known as Zabo, is a time-tested unique water management practice that has been yielding good harvests for nearly a century.
  • The Seidzu and Khuza rivers flow to the south and north of the village respectively.
  • Ruza, means ‘impounding water or run-off water pond or tank for irrigation’ in the Chokri dialect.
  • Zabo is a small pit dug within a paddy patch, ideally used for rearing fish. However, Ruza is a larger pond spreading to about 0.2 hectares, used for storing run-off water.
• Ruza involves impounding run-off water in ponds, using gravity-based irrigation. The water harvesting ponds are located at a higher elevation and are connected to the fields at the lower elevations through narrow drains.
• The Ruza system is a communal practice with the water shared among families and an integrated form of farming comprising forestry, horticulture, agriculture, fishery and animal husbandry.
• Adopting Ruza in other hilly terrains with limited rainfall could be a feasible and sustainable alternative in the agricultural sector, say experts.
• The Zabo or Ruza system is a sustainable integrated form of farming comprising forestry, horticulture, agriculture, fishery and animal husbandry with a well-founded soil and water conservation base.
• The main crop is paddy; about 17 varieties of both sticky and non-sticky rice are cultivated in wet terraces. The yield of paddy is about three to four tonnes per hectare.
• The indigenous and sustainable farming practice Ruza, in Kikruma has been recognised by the government as a potential ‘Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure’ (OECM).
  • An OECM is governed and managed to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem functions, similar to a Protected Area.

Rainfed agriculture in India:

• More than half of India’s net sown area – 55% of almost 140 million hectares – is primarily dependent on rainfall, according to the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) under the Ministry of Agriculture.
• Rainfed agriculture accounts for around 40% of the country’s total food grain production and supports two-thirds of livestock and 40% of the human population.
• Hence, it is a crucial contributor to the country’s economy and food security. The livelihoods of 80% of small and marginal farmers are linked to rain.