Reviving a traditional method to farm in a desert | Jaisalmer's khadeens

In the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, farmers have used traditional knowledge to harvest the limited rainwater with an indigenous system called ‘khadeen.’ Khadeens area water harvesting structures that double up as farmlands. The ancient practice has helped farmers to irrigate their fields and also conserve water for drinking. Over the last few decades however, many farmers quit khadeen-based cultivation to opt for canal irrigation. Khadeens therefore, were slowly destroyed, and the traditional knowledge of rainwater harvesting became restricted. Local tribal communities and farmers in Jaisalmer are now reviving hundreds of khadeens. Subscribe to ‪@MongabayIndia‬ #agriculture #rajasthan #traditional _______ For more news and inspiration from nature's frontline in India, visit Mongabay India https://india.mongabay.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mongabayind... Twitter   / mongabayindia   Facebook   / mongabayindia   Subscribe to Mongabay India's weekly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/2Naws1A