SBI Foundation builds 200 ponds for drought relief

SBI Foundation has started a project to build 200 farm ponds in drought-prone areas of Mundargi taluk, Gadag. The goal is to help small and marginal farmers with water conservation and sustainable farming. This initiative will cover over 25 villages in the nearby taluks of Shirahatti and Lakshmeshwar. Importantly, the project is entirely free for farmers. The launch coincided with International Water Day. Sanjay Prakash, managing director of SBI Foundation, praised the interest shown by the community. He emphasized that farmers should take advantage of this project to improve groundwater levels and enhance their crop yields. The Raita Bandhu Project, which began two years ago, has so far created 36 farm ponds and 148 bunds, benefiting 132 farmers. These efforts have helped save and store 432 lakh litres of water, vital for agriculture. The construction of bunds has also prevented erosion, preserving valuable topsoil for farming. To support farmers further, SBI Foundation is providing an excavator for free to help build the ponds. They also offer affordable rates for farmers to fix borders on their land, making this project even more accessible. Deepening the impact, the foundation plans to expand the initiative in the coming years to more villages. Officials from the implementing organization noted the importance of this project for future agricultural development. Beneficiary farmers expressed gratitude for the support, saying the project has transformed their ability to irrigate their fields effectively.