Planning groundwater use for sustainable rural development

Groundwater use is rapidly increasing in Sri Lanka, bringing several benefits to small farmers—by allowing them to grow more crops, minimize the impact of droughts, and profit from selling high-value produce. But how can this be sustained? Lessons learned from other countries with longer histories of groundwater use can help policymakers, planners, and development organizations avoid the pitfalls and dangers of indiscriminate use, and capture the benefits that groundwater can bring