BAIF's research project to ensure `conjunctive use of surface water and ground water' was supported by the International Development Research Centre, Canada. The villagers of the three project villages participated in setting up demonstration sites for appropriate water spreading and harvesting techniques which helped save their time otherwise spent on fetching water from long distances.

Terracing of hillsides was expanded and to augment the water resource, roof top water harvesting, conservation of natural springs, desilting of percolation tanks, deepening of existing wells and construction of check dams were undertaken to provide safe drinking water at closer locations. Twenty-four households have adopted roof top water harvesting systems to collect and utilise rain water while 80 households draw water from six springs.

This was in addition to 73,000 cubic meter of water stored in the reservoirs being 14 masonry checkdams. Water availability has increased by about 750l/d per capita during the driest part of the year while the increased soil moisture has allowed the villagers to obtain a second crop in winter from 75 hectares of land. About 300 ha of wastelands have been brought under cultivation during the rainy season.

The research project was one among 50 success stories on sustainable development selected by the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs in 1998 while a summary of the project was published in a compilation of best practices in internationalisation at Canadian universities by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.