News @ Jains - ICRISAT and Jain Irrigation Systems Public-private partnership on water management for the poor

Sustainable water management, along with better market opportunities and community empowerment and capacity building are critical in ending poverty and hunger in the dryland tropics.

The partnership between ICRISAT and Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd (the world’s second largest micro-irrigation company) is anchored on a shared goal of empowering poor dryland communities through sustainable water management. To further strengthen this partnership, Director General William Dar and Dr Suhas Wani went to Jalgaon, home to Jain Irrigation on 4-6 August to meet its founder, Mr BH Jain and to identify key areas for future collaboration.

Drs Dar and Wani with Mr BK Jain (2nd from left), Chairman of Jain Irrigation Systems,
and Dr PS Soman (far right), Vice-President

During the visit, Mr Jain shared his “dream to change the way Indian farmers do agriculture.” This motivated him to establish the company and promote cutting-edge technology for the country’s sustainable agricultural growth. He also expressed keen interest in strengthening Jain Irrigation’s ongoing collaboration with ICRISAT on integrated water management and environmental protection, and in expanding activities to other regions of the world.

Dr Dar, on the other hand, highlighted ICRISAT’s work on watershed management and crop improvement. He stressed that public-private partnership (PPP), particularly with seed and irrigation industries, is an innovative approach in mobilizing improved technology for smallholder farmers. PPP and Inclusive Market-Oriented Development (IMOD) are the key components in linking farmers to markets towards prosperity in the dryland tropics, he added.

 
ICRISAT pigeonpea variety (background) grown at Jalgaon
station with drip irrigation using solar power pump.

Possible areas for further collaboration were also identified during the visit. These are: unlocking the potential of rainfed areas through high-value crops with supplementary irrigation; enhancing water-use efficiency; and empowerment of stakeholders through capital asset development.

ICRISAT and Jain Irrigation have an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on watershed management for enhancing water-use efficiency and improving livelihoods of farmers. In Jalgaon, ICRISAT is also implementing one of its model integrated watershed management program supported by GOI Department of Agriculture (DoA) in partnership with JalaSRI of Moolji Jaitha College, Jalgaon.

Solar panels for irrigation solar system.

Jalgaon, a three-hour trip from Aurangabad, is a hilly area generally with denuded hills. The few hillocks covered with lush green vegetation, known as Jain Hills, are attributed to the integrated watershed management approach introduced by Jain Irrigation. The holistic approach starts from rainwater harvesting to producing high-value crops (e.g., mango, pomegranate, guava, banana, etc.) and food processing including tapping solar power energy.

Drs Dar and Wani were welcomed at Jain Hills by Mr Anil Jain, Director for Marketing of Jain Irrigation. Dr Soman, Vice-President took the team around Jain Hills, showcasing various activities such as water management, water-use efficiency, renewable energy, tissue culture, biotechnology and food processing. Mr Atul Jain, Chief Marketing Officer, also took the team to Jains state-of-the-art production facilities where precision irrigation products are produced using microprocessor-controlled systems under strict quality control measures.

The team also visited the Padmalaya Model Watershed at Pathri in Jalgaon district, where they were accorded a traditional welcome program attended by students and farmers. In the interaction that followed, farmers spoke of how the various interventions under the watershed project - among others, rainwater harvesting, soil conservation, efficient use of water, balanced nutrient management, wasteland rehabilitation, vermicomposting, and monitoring of runoff and soil loss - are giving them increased income and better livelihood opportunities.

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