NU study urges farmer-first model for rural water security

Nagaland University (NU) has found that long-term water management initiatives like ‘Aquafer Recharge and Recovery’ (ASR) required sustained involvement of the local farming community to succeed.
The success of ASR initiatives was found to be a social process requiring long-term engagement, financial support and peer-led governance models.
ASR initiatives could be a game-changer for hilly terrain and the water-scarce region of Nagaland and other north-eastern region, and collaboration with government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector would be essential to mainstreaming ASR into broader water resource management strategies.
A pilot study conducted in south Bihar with a grant from Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) demonstrated socio-environmental impacts in terms of higher potential for groundwater recharge, improved irrigation reliability, and longer availability of groundwater and socio-economic benefits for farmers due to diversification of cropping, availability of water for additional cropping and reliable yields.
The study highlighted that ASR could alleviate water stress and enhance agricultural resilience. If scaled effectively and in a socially just manner, ASR could serve as a sustainable water management model for rural India in the face of increasing climate variability.
ASR has the potential to revolutionise water management in rural India, especially under the growing pressures of climate change, erratic rainfall patterns, and groundwater depletion.
The study was led by Prof Prabhakar Sharma of NU, and involved Dr Aviram Sharma, senior researcher of University of Vigo, Spain, Dr Somnath Bandyopadhyay, independent consultant of Som-Vrddhi Consulting, Gujarat, Dr Anurag Verma, researcher of Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi, and Rahul Kumar Sinha, PhD student of Kyoto University, Japan.
The findings were published in the reputed, peer-reviewed journal Societal Impacts (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socimp.2025.100121) in June this year.
Elaborating on the research, Prof Prabhakar Sharma said, “Unlike many prior studies that mainly focus on the technical feasibility and hydro-geological aspects of ASR, this research distinctly foregrounds the social, institutional and policy dimensions critical for sustainable implementation. We highlight that ASR can alleviate water stress and enhance agricultural resilience but its long-term viability depends on farmer-led ownership, institutional incentives for peer-led governance, and targeted policy interventions.”
Research paper co-author Dr Aviram Sharma stated, “With farmer interest growing, there is potential for state-level scaling of ASR projects. However, to ensure sustained impact, future interventions must incorporate localised adaptation strategies, financial mechanisms for farmer participation, and long-term monitoring of groundwater trends for measuring the impacts of the ASR pits on groundwater aquifers. Interdisciplinary social science and scientific studies on ASR are crucial for making the adoption of ASR possible at the rate desired for climate-proof agriculture and tackling water stress at the local level. This kind of intervention can be useful for Nagaland and other water-scarce regions of India.”
ASR has been promoted as a technological solution to mitigate groundwater stress worldwide. Despite its potential, the adoption of ASR remains limited, primarily due to social and economic barriers. This study examined the socio-economic and socio-environmental impacts of a pilot ASR initiative in selected villages of south Bihar.
India is among the largest users of groundwater for irrigation, with trends showing little sign of reversal at the national level. Various stakeholders in India, including policymakers and researchers, have explored ASR as a viable technological intervention to address groundwater stress. However, the successful implementation of such initiatives requires more than technical feasibility — it necessitates local acceptance, economic viability, and social collaboration.
The research undertaken by the team critically examined the barriers and opportunities for the equitable adoption of ASR in rural and resource-constrained environments of south Bihar. The work aimed to understand how ASR could be equitably adopted in rural, resource-constrained settings where landholding was skewed and high socio-economic disparities influence resource access. It further developed pathways to promote inclusive water management practices adaptable to local contexts.
The pilot study in south Bihar found that the success of ASR was closely linked to community engagement and the willingness of farmers to maintain recharge pits. The joint ownership model among entrepreneurial farmers fostered cooperation in water management.
At Meyar (Nalanda district of Bihar), farmers showed a high degree of ownership, conducted regular cleaning and upkeep of the recharge structures and relied on benefit sharing. In contrast, farmers at Nekpur village expressed scepticism about ASR’s immediate benefits and did not actively participate in maintenance, which contributed to its disuse.
These responses suggested that scaling ASR required not only technical implementation and design changes but also sustained social engagement to ensure continuous functionality.
While the cost-effectiveness of ASR (approximately US $400 per recharge pit) made it an attractive alternative to deeper borewell investments, farmers remained hesitant to invest in ASR structures on their own, and they preferred external funding sources.
The paper argued that ASR adoption was not merely a technical solution but a social process which required long-term engagement, financial support, and peer-led governance models. As ASR adoption continues, targeting medium and large farmers, who are actively involved in farming, as initial adopters may drive broader community participation and increase long-term sustainability.
The research emphasised that addressing socio-economic disparities head-on was essential to transforming ASR from a technical solution into a socially just system that benefits all stakeholders. This was stated in a press release.