Page 5 - Reliance Foundation - The Change Maker - Issue 45

The ChangeMaker 5

Foundation’s water related work in India
found that there is a direct impact and
trickle-down effect that contributes to
holistic development in the intervention
villages. The study indicates:
• Increase in water harvesting
capacity for agriculture resulted
in the de-risking of rain-fed
farming. For 89% of the farmers
who were surveyed, rain was
no longer a primary source for
irrigation. Additionally, 79%
farmers reported an increase in
area under assured irrigation.
Around 54% farmers adopted
efficient irrigation techniques.
• Farmers who used to till their
lands in one season started
cultivating more than once.
85% farmers in the intervention
villages now crop their fields to 28% in the control group. fetching water adds 8 days’ income
two or more times a year, and • The increase in water availability over a year for the women of the
more than half of the farmers for domestic purposes resulted intervention villages.
cultivate three or more types in around 89% of the intervention
of crops annually. In addition, village residents having the primary The community-centered initiatives
diversification of crops was also source of water within 200 meters of Reliance Foundation helped increase
observed. of their house. Women in the water availability and its access across
• The efforts also led to reduced intervention villages and control India, especially for the marginalised
outbound migration, which villages spend on average 25 and and the underserved sections of the
observed to be about 12% in the 40 minutes per day respectively. society, and reflect the Foundation’s
intervention villages as compared The reduction in time spent on commitment to ensure ‘Water for All’.