THE NEW CLIMATE ADAPTORS

Neerkattis sustained grassroots social welfare institutions for centuries providing critical advice on water, irrigation and agriculture to local communities. It is time to preserve the innovation, knowledge as we enter a new era of water shortages and changing weather patterns induced by global warming. By S S Jeevan They can predict weather patterns. They can create water miracles in drought conditions. They are the change makers in village and local economies across India heavily dependent on agriculture. They are the knowledge gurus of India’s traditional water management systems, who combine the skills of a meteorologist, irrigation engineer and an agricultural specialist. Meet the Traditional Water Managers of India, who go by the local name of Neerkattis (water regulators) in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. These water managers have kept the water traditions of India alive for centuries, by planning, constructing and managing water sources like lakes, ponds and tanks, thereby sustaining the various water needs of the community. Neerkattis were social innovators created for and by the community. Their contribution to water management systems not only met the agricultural and drinking water needs of the community, but recharged groundwater thereby sustaining local ecosystems. But Neerkattis are today gradually vanishing from the landscape of rural India, though they continue to play a critical role at numerous places, acting as climate adaptors in local environments. For instance, during the 1950s, Neerkattis were managing about 4.15 million hectares, which was 18.6 per cent of the net irrigated area in the country, according to a recent study done by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi, a research consortium based in New Delhi, on water management. In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka alone, Neerkattis were maintaining 1.6 lakh surface water bodies. However, by the 1990s, Neerkattis were managing only around 2.9 million hectares of irrigated area in the country. And today, Neerkattis are managing just about 1,000 surface water bodies in these states, according to a recent study conducted by Dhan Foundation, one of south India’s premier non-governmental organizations. In an era where climate change is being aggressively discussed and its effects being witnessed globally, the role of Neerkattis as climate negotiators in local environments may be the best way ahead to address the impacts. They are, in fact, the new-age climate adaptors who can come up with local solutions to the changing weather and rain patters induced by global warming. Their knowledge and expertise, especially in the areas of managing water crisis in rural India, is significant as water shortages are bound to increase conflicts across India, especially the conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka that is set to escalate further over the sharing of the Cauvery river waters. Their revival is crucial as their efforts will revive surface water sources as well as recharge groundwater for the local communities. And they are the catalysts of change in social welfare enterprises in rural India heavily dependent on water and agriculture to sustain livelihoods. Neerkattis are social institutions nurtured by the community at the grassroots. But today, they have been forced to vacate ecological spaces virtually exposing the gaps in India’s water management systems. In Uttaranchal, Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir, Neerkattis are known as Guhls, Patkaris and Kollalus. Water Management Gurus Neerkattis were the critical links with traditional knowledge and technology in managing available water resources, equitable water distribution, conflict-resolution, and crop water management. It is a centuries-old tested technology that was passed on to successive generations enabling a de-centralized sustainable water resource management. Research suggests Neerkattis had complete knowledge of terrain hydrology, drainage, water and distribution systems. More importantly, Neerkattis were locale specific, catering to special social welfare requests of the community. For instance, Neerkattis used to forecast the arrival of water to the tank, the amount of water needed and the suitable selection of crop varieties based on water availability. Another major role played by the Neerkattis was in conflict resolution over water sharing between communities. Any kind of disturbance or trouble in the supply of water was sorted out by Neerkattis because they took wise decisions based on scientific knowledge and local understanding. They did not have political power within the village structure but they had the administrative acumen to change and implement initiatives. Since Neerkattis did not own lands, they played a neutral role in water distribution. Neerkattis were also responsible to manage water scarcity and expected to tide over any crisis due to shortage of water. An Unwritten Manual; a Vanishing Tribe Over the years, their role has been undermined by water policies, which hardly acknowledge their role and contribution. There is little interest to formalize their status and preserve a dying tradition that has become more relevant today than ever before. Majority of them belong to Scheduled Castes and have little landholding. Government departments pay lip service to them, hardly involving them in local planning and decision making over natural resources and management. Worse, the loss of oral knowledge about traditional water and village ecosystems will have a long-term impact on water-related welfare activities for rural communities. When properly documented and practiced, Neerkattis and their work can be made significant. Their work will establish how to increase yield output and can also save huge quantity of water. The innovation potential and social knowledge of Neerkattis needs to be preserved. Neerkattis are a social innovation finding simple solutions to complex community problems. Their unwritten water manual needs to be implemented on a larger scale across India. Because their role will be critical towards effective water utilization and increased production with lesser conflicts among local communities in an era of water shortages and weather disruptions induced by global warming.