KFP i.e. Kedia Farm Pattern is an amazing rain water harvesting technology for farms, invented by an Indian Scientist Mr. Vijay Kedia. KFP is an unique technology that can harvest upto 80% rainwater underground, contrary to other RWH technologies which can store only upto 18% rainwater above ground which is open to evaporation.

The Technology

The real cause of Water crisis is not less rainfall but erratic rainfall that normally occurs with high intensity and for short durations. This results in high run-off events & poor soil-moisture storage. Thus there is a need to store as much as available rainwater; and what can be a better storage than the ground itself!

‘Jalmitra’ Mr. Kedia believes that -
Proper place of harvesting rainwater is the Womb of Mother Earth (below ground), not the Lap of Mother Earth (above ground)

• But rainwater does not percolate in the ground automatically; it has to be recharged underground.
• In KFP this recharging is done through specially made, non degradable, long lasting, branded plastic sheet. This KFP sheet acts as a conduit for rainwater and upto 80% rainwater seeps in the ground.
• Initially this rainwater is retained by soil upto 4mtr depth which is available to plant roots as moisture.
• Once the field capacity of this zone is achieved (in 1-5 years), excess rainwater increases ground water table and simultaneously increases well water level.
• Thus water is available throughout the year. The soil too remains moist throughout the year and even in summer just a foot deep soil is found moist. Where as in present situation when rainwater starts flowing from the fields as run-off, soil may remain completely dry just 2 ft below surface, even in monsoon.
• This implies that within 4-5 years an additional crop can be harvested, increasing crop production.

KFP harvesting system increases the Green water i.e. water in the form of soil moisture that feeds plants & crops. Once the field capacity of the soil is achieved, additional infiltrating water becomes Blue water i.e. flowing water. It increases ground water level & flows towards wells, rivers etc. Water level is seen rising in wells even in low rainfall.
Where KFP is implemented, 40-50% rainwater recharged in the ground is available to plants in the form of soil-moisture compared to the usual 10% i.e. 4 times more.