ABSTRACT
Groundwater is pivotal for transforming the rural agrarian landscape and augmenting livelihoods in India. Yet there is little analysis of the role of groundwater in intra-household relations, particularly the gendered divisions of labour, use of assets and household well-being, especially in a context of failing borewells. This paper seeks to fill this gap. Our research indicates that groundwater usage in the semi-arid regions of Tamil Nadu has improved the short-term resilience of communities in the area, but has simultaneously increased gendered risks, especially for smallholders, through unsustainable livelihood trends and risky coping strategies to overcome groundwater shortages.
