Goa’s traditional irrigation techniques—like check basins, furrows, and lever systems—were sustainable but highly labor-intensive.
Some methods, such as ‘Ghuddeani’ and ‘Chollani,’ are nearly extinct, while others like furrow irrigation still thrive for specific crops.
Farmers and experts stress documenting these practices before they disappear, even as modern technology transforms agriculture.
Traditional irrigation methods have long sustained agriculture in Goa, offering affordable yet labor-intensive alternatives to modern systems. While some practices remain in use today, many are fading as farmers transition to mechanized techniques for higher efficiency.
Among the enduring methods is the Check Basin Method (Mherãni), particularly effective for levelled fields. Here, land is divided into basins based on water-holding capacity, all connected by small drains. The highest basin acts as the main water source. This simple and low-cost technique prevents soil erosion and can irrigate large areas efficiently.
Another widely practiced method is Furrow Irrigation (Bhandiani), especially for row crops. Furrows are created between rows so water can flow along them. “If the furrow is filled properly, it provides water for at least two days in the case of leafy vegetables,” explains Inacina Miranda from Margão. Though inexpensive, it requires significant manual effort.
Canal irrigation is also seen, with canals built during the Portuguese era in 1952. The Chandor canal, originating in Bhat (Quepem), still irrigates fields in Paroda, Chandor, and Macazana.
In coconut groves along khazans (coastal saline lands), farmers use the Char system—trenches that fill during high tide, supplying water to the trees.
Other time-tested techniques include ‘Collxeani/Bendlani’, where water is carried in clay or copper pots from wells and field ponds. ‘Ghuddeani’, now nearly extinct, involved lifting water in a bamboo or tin basket suspended by ropes held by two people. The water was emptied into channels called antonn, which required regular clearing before the monsoon. To divert excess water, hollow palm trunks known as chollã were used.
Disputes over water were common, with neighbors sometimes stealing or releasing water into others’ fields under cover of darkness.
The ‘Laath’ method relied on a lever made from wooden logs or coconut trunks to draw water with a pot called koinne, sculpted from palm trunks.
Similarly, ‘Chollani’ used a lever system, where a long wooden beam with a counterweight and a canoe-shaped container scooped and transferred water when lifted and lowered.
Cleto Avito Fernandes, a farmer in Panjim, shared that he switched from plastic pots to steel ones after concerns about microplastic contamination. He emphasizes that while modern techniques boost productivity, preserving traditional methods is essential for cultural heritage.
Traditionally, well water was a key source near homes, with pots (bendlã or colxé) used to draw it. If a pot fell into the well, families retrieved it using iron hooks attached to ropes or waited for annual well cleaning in May.
Looking ahead, experts like Nidhi Raut Desai from Assolda believe irrigation’s future lies in blending technology with sustainability—using automation, remote sensing, and data-driven solutions, along with better water storage and alternative sources.