Creating Resilient Water Systems: Dhun Life's Ancestral Wisdom Transforming Degraded Land

Introduction to the Metaproblem

Climate instability is wreaking havoc on farming communities across India, with erratic rainfall patterns, droughts, and flooding threatening food security and rural livelihoods. In semi-arid regions like Jaipur, dependency on groundwater is no longer sustainable, and farmers are paying the price.

Water is life, and its absence is a growing crisis.

Core Problem in the Bioregion

In peri-urban Jaipur, Rajasthan, local farmers face extreme weather swings, from long dry spells to sudden floods. With only 650mm of average annual rainfall and temperatures ranging from 4–47°C, this semi-arid zone struggles with:

• Diminishing groundwater supplies
• Encroachment on community pasturelands
• Loss of crop yield and income stability
• Increased vulnerability to climate change

Communities urgently need localized, scalable water security solutions.

Proposed Solution

The Dhun Jaipur x Water Project is a community-led rainwater harvesting initiative to build 1,000 farm ponds across peri-urban Jaipur, strengthening water self-sufficiency, ecological balance, and regional resilience.

Led by Dhun Foundation in partnership with The I Love Foundation, the initiative includes:

• Site Selection: Community pasturelands and private fields
• Farm Pond Construction: Each with a 9 lakh-liter capacity
• Watershed Management: Designed to prevent flooding, retain water, and recharge groundwater
• Agro-Ecological Planning: Support for multi-cropping, organic farming, and improved livestock care

At a total cost of INR 11.7 CR / USD 1.4M, the project brings scale and science to community water access.

What Makes it Unique

Localized, Scalable Design – Targets 1,000 strategic sites across Jaipur's most vulnerable zones
Community Ownership – Farmers co-lead pond construction and water planning
Proven Impact – Crop yields increased 2–2.5x and income doubled in early pilot zones
Trust-Based Growth – 60+ additional ponds are now being built by community request
Climate Resilience – Reduces dependence on groundwater and rainfall

This is rainwater harvesting reimagined as a regional movement.

Why People Should Donate

Donating to Dhun Foundation supports regeneration, justice, and peace in communities experiencing the frontlines of climate change.

• Rain is captured instead of lost
• Farmers feed families and grow incomes
• Soil is restored, and groundwater returns
• The community builds resilience, from the roots up

Be part of a solution that scales regeneration.

Call to Action

Donate now to help build 1,000 farm ponds in Jaipur.
Bring water security, food resilience, and ecological balance to Rajasthan’s farming communities.
Share this project and grow a future rooted in water, land, and community.