With over two decades of experience, Social Action for Rural Development (SARDA) has been actively implementing watershed development and water resource management initiatives across multiple states in India to improve water security, restore degraded landscapes, and enhance agricultural productivity.

SARDA has successfully implemented Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) projects in Simdega (Jharkhand), Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh), and Korba (Chhattisgarh), contributing to improved rural drinking water supply systems and community-led water governance. In addition, SARDA has implemented Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) interventions in districts such as Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh), Jalgaon and Gondia (Maharashtra), Simdega and Gumla (Jharkhand), as well as in parts of Bihar, focusing on sustainable land and water resource management.

The organisation has also been entrusted with the evaluation of the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyaan in Nagpur and Amravati districts of Maharashtra, assessing the effectiveness of large-scale water conservation interventions implemented by the Government of Maharashtra.

Through watershed-based planning and community participation, SARDA promotes interventions such as rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge structures, soil and moisture conservation, check dams, farm ponds, and sustainable land management practices. These initiatives are implemented with the active involvement of local communities, farmer groups, watershed committees, and village institutions, ensuring long-term sustainability and community ownership.

Over the years, SARDA’s watershed development initiatives have significantly contributed to improved irrigation coverage, enhanced crop productivity, restoration of degraded land, and strengthened livelihood opportunities for rural households, particularly for small and marginal farmers.