Concept
The management of groundwater continues to pose a major challenge to sustainable livelihoods. In many parts of the world, drinking water, irrigation and industrial needs are met from groundwater resources. However, these resources are being depleted and degraded at an alarming rate. Hence, while groundwater supply is essentially non-negotiable (managed recharge does occur but only at the margin), managing the demand for groundwater is often the only area where there is room for manoeuvre. A variety of approaches and solutions have been offered and tried in different parts of the world in order to promote sustainable management of groundwater resources. These approaches include appropriate technologies, water laws and regulations, and institutional response at different levels. It is evident however, that unless the users themselves take the initiative in the management and regulation of groundwater resources, there is little scope to reverse current trends and sustain the livelihoods that are dependant upon continued access to groundwater. Not least because very high investments for groundwater use are made by private individuals. This user-based approach is gaining strength and showing concrete results in certain settings. If users have to manage the groundwater resources they need access to social and technical knowledge, support in building local level, inclusive institutions for management, and for preparing regulatory frameworks, and facilitation in creating awareness in the communities.

The Learning Workshop on Demand Side Management of Groundwater was aimed at acquainting the participants with the experiences in these aspects and highlighting the processes by which users can manage and regulate their own demands for groundwater. It provided the participants an opportunity to interact at great length with practicing farmers who have been monitoring and managing their groundwater resources successfully for the last four years under the aegis of the FAO supported Andhra Pradesh Farmer Managed Groundwater Systems Project (APFAMGS).

Participants
Sixteen participants from Asian, African and South American countries such as Iran, Yemen, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan, Philippines, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Brazil attended the workshop. The participants are specialists in different aspects of water resource management and hold prestigious positions in various government departments in their respective countries.

Venue
In order to provide more time for field interactions and field work, a large part of the programme was conducted at the rural training centre of Bharathi Integrated Rural Development Society, an NGO located in Muthyalapadu, Kurnool district of AP. Only the opening sessions and the thematic sessions were held at Hyderabad over the first four days. 

Sessions
A total of 54 sessions were held during twelve days of the workshop. The sessions elaborated upon various aspects of demand side management of groundwater, and drawing upon the learning from the experiences of the Andhra Pradesh Farmer Managed Groundwater Systems Project (APFAMGS). Beginning with a brief introduction of water science and concept of groundwater management, the initial sessions dealt with the need for groundwater management, economics of demand side groundwater management, introduction to the concept and elements of demand side groundwater management, integration of technical and social aspects in groundwater management and a background of APFAMGS project. Later sessions dealt with the aspects of the need for effective institutions and processes of institution formation and management, capacity building and gender equity in groundwater management. Sessions related to the concepts of participatory hydrological monitoring (PHM), crop water budgeting (CWB) and farmer water schools (FWS) and various methods to reduce water demand, facilitation of farmer experiments and collection as well as management of data by the farmers were taken up in the field.  The sessions were interactive and included theoretical as well as practical aspects. Participants actively participated by narrating their own experiences, perceptions and views and also questioning some of the concepts.

The participants were taken to villages to interact with the farmers and observe functioning of the Groundwater Monitoring Committee (GMC), Hydrological Unit Network (HUN), and Farmer Water School (FWS). They also observed how farmers collected data in the field. Farmers from the project area set up an exhibition consisting of charts and models through which they explained to the participants how they managed their water resources effectively in order to secure their livelihood. A live show of kalajatha, a local cultural art form, used extensively in the APFAMGS project as means of communication, was arranged by a local troupe The participants also observed how farmers have initiated the use of water saving irrigation devices, vermi-compost and introduced water saving crops. The participants were also provided with an opportunity to observe how the farmer networks have built linkages with government departments for accessing government schemes.

The workshop concluded with an interactive session during which participants shared their experiences about the workshop and what they had learned from it. The learning of the participants was summed up under three broad aspects, the importance of institutions in groundwater management, social benefits of groundwater management and use and importance of technical knowledge. The valedictory function was chaired by Mr. Jacob Burke, FAO, Rome. 

Methodology
The workshop was carefully planned so that adequate time was given for field work and discussion. Although each session was planned in advance, the organizers reviewed the contents and made necessary changes during the course of the workshop, as and when required, in order to respond to the needs of the participants. This was the most important aspect of the workshop and the reason why the workshop was referred to as a “learning” workshop. The schedule was kept flexible in order to respond to the specific needs of the participants in terms of subject matter and focus areas for discussion. Most of the faculty was available all through the workshop so that sessions could be accommodated as per the requirement of the participants. Without deviating from the main theme and purpose of the workshop, new sessions were added whenever the participants expressed a need for greater information on any particular topic.

Faculty
The workshop was facilitated by Ganesh Pangare, World Water Institute, India. The faculty consisted of senior resource persons with specialization in hydrology, groundwater management, institutions, capacity building, gender, agriculture, economic, and data management.

Workshop Inauguration
The workshop was inaugurated by Dr G Chinna Reddy, the Honourable Minister for Rural Development, NREGP, Self Help Groups, Andhra Pradesh. Dr Daniel Gustafson, FAO Representative in India and Bhutan was the Guest of Honour.

Mr. Paul Raja Rao, Executive Director of BIRDS, facilitated the programme and also translated the proceedings for the farmers who were present in the audience. He introduced the dignitaries on the dais, Dr. Chinna Reddy, Minister for Rural Development of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. P S Rao, National Programme Coordinator, FAO, Dr. Daniel J. Gustafson, FAO Representative to India and Bhutan and Mr. Ranga Reddy, MLA. The workshop was formally launched with the lighting of the inaugural lamp by Dr Chinna Reddy, Mr Ranga Reddy, Dr. Gustafson and Vasudha Pangare, Director of World Water Institute.

Addressing the audience, Dr. P S Rao gave the background of Andhra Pradesh Farmer Managed Groundwater Systems Project (APFAMGS) and explained the reasons for conducting the workshop. Dr. K A S Mani, as the Project Head, APFAMGS, talked about the specific objectives of the workshop. Dr. Daniel Gustafson, in his inaugural lecture talked about demand side management, its need, how it works and the science behind it. He explained how the concept of demand side management works in APFAMGS project and emphasized on its significance. He also emphasized out how the workshop will be useful to the participants. Mr. Ranga Reddy talked about the importance of saving water. 

For More details (Lead Facultys, Participants, session presentations and participants learnings)       More......