Story 01Gunduperumbedu Lake, Tamil Nadu
Restoring a Lifeline for People and Nature
Gunduperumbedu Lake, once a vital community water resource, had declined due to siltation, weakened bunds, damaged hydraulic structures and blocked irrigation channels. As a result, nearly 550 hectares of cultivable land remained barren or fallow, affecting agriculture and groundwater availability.
The National Agro Foundation undertook a science-led restoration to revive the lake’s ecological and agricultural functions. The intervention included desilting, bund strengthening, sluice rehabilitation, irrigation channel restoration and planting 1,000 native saplings.
The restoration has delivered significant ecological and community benefits:
- 92% increase in second-season cultivated area from 2024 to 2025.
- 3,000 farmers benefited directly, with nearly 27,000 benefiting indirectly.
- 3,244 community members gained improved access to water.
- Improved groundwater recharge, flood regulation and climate resilience.
“I am G.T. Thiagu, President of the Gunduperumbedu Lake Water Users Association and a farmer cultivating 20 acres of land. For us, Gunduperumbedu Lake is more than just a waterbody: it is the lifeline of our farms and our families. But for nearly 60 years, the lake had been neglected. It had never been desilted, only one of its three sluices was functioning, and water was continuously being wasted through the damaged sluices and deteriorated canals. Watching precious rainwater go to waste while our fields struggled for irrigation was truly painful.
Because of these challenges, we could cultivate only about 520 acres during the first cropping season and around 130 acres in the second season. Every year, we worried about whether there would be enough water for our crops. Our incomes were uncertain, and many farmers lost hope.
Everything changed when the National Agro Foundation came forward to restore our lake. Today, we can manage and distribute water efficiently without unnecessary wastage. The lake now stores more water, the strengthened bunds protect it, and the repaired irrigation system ensures that every drop reaches our fields. Because of this transformation, we are now cultivating 520 acres in two cropping seasons and an additional 300 acres in the third cropping season. Our harvests have improved, our incomes have increased, and our families are living with greater confidence about the future.”
