Partnership approach
HUF collaborates with civil society organisation partners across the country to execute a range of solutions that: augment access to water, improve governance of water and optimise usage of water for rural communities. The Foundation values partners with insightful hydrogeological expertise and a deep commitment to empowering rural communities.
HUF’s partners have been instrumental in shaping the Foundation’s understanding of water-related issues.
HUF supports three types of programmes:
Supply side programmes
HUF’s supply-side programmes aim at improving regional water security through supply augmentation measures which include:
- Construction of new water structures or restoration of defunct structures.
- Capacitating government officials and frontline workers for national flagship programmes where water conservation forms a large component.
- Governance related interventions.
Choose a partner logo to view the supply-side programme details.
Professional Assistant for Development Action (PRADAN) (1 of 5)
Reviving ecological and economic outcomes for communities through rehabilitation of tank networks
The south-eastern districts of Tamil Nadu (Ramanathapuram, and adjoining districts of Pudhukottai and Sivagangai) are prone to erratic monsoons and frequent drought spells. The region has historically been dependent on water harvesting structures or tanks to meet the domestic and agricultural water requirements. These centuries old tanks have been the lifeline of the region. However, over the last few decades, tanks have fallen into disrepair, reducing area under tank irrigation significantly.
Long-term data trends indicate a change in land use patterns as large tracts of cultivable land become fallow. Fallow lands are also being invaded by Prosopis juliflora (an invasive weed) which is expensive to remove. Over time, consistent ddiminishing returns from agriculture has resulted in farmer migrations.
Tank repair and restoration work is widely acknowledged as an economically viable solution to the region's water security. The state needs a framework for the sustained development of cascade tank systems. The partnership between HUF and PRADAN aims to develop a model that uses CSR funds in conjunction with the existing government resources and NGO expertise to develop a science-based, locally relevant framework for rehabilitating the region's interconnected tank systems.
The programme will also establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) on tanks and related traditional systems. The CoE will provide a regional platform for advocating science-led tank rehabilitation with key stakeholders and ensure continued visibility and funding of the issue beyond HUF's exit.
The programme aims to rehabilitate two hundred tanks, reclaiming 2,400 ha land, benefitting 64000 farmers, and creating a water potential of 116.3 billion liters of water potential. A Center of Excellence (CoE) would be developed over the programme period to ensure learnings from the programme are scaled up rejuvenating tank system across Southern India.
Development Support Center (DSC) (2 of 5)
Sustainable Solutions for Water-Stressed North Gujarat Districts
HUF, in collaboration with the Development Support Center (DSC), has launched a program in three water-stressed districts of Aravalli, Mehsana and Sabarkantha in North Gujarat. These districts fall under arid to semi-arid climatic zones, with irregular rainfall and high rainfall variations over the years. The main economic activity in all the three districts is agriculture and animal husbandry.
More than 90% of irrigation water comes from pumping shallow and deep groundwater sources from private and government group tube wells and open wells. Continued usage of these ground water sources over decades has led to these districts being categorised as overexploited zones.
The program's aim is to inform farming communities about groundwater resources and equip them to manage these resources effectively, employing principles promoted by the Atal Bhujal Yojana. Solutions, derived from a study, emphasize an approach of groundwater renewal and water efficient agriculture practices.
Central to the program's success is the active involvement of local communities, empowered through government engagement to adopt a user-oriented approach to aquifer management. By addressing the socio-economic dimensions of groundwater demand and striving for an equitable and sustainable water supply, the program endeavors to pave the way for a resilient future, where water remains a vital resource for all. The program will cover a total of 150 villages across these three districts.
Transform Rural India (TRI) (3 of 5)
Achieving water security in Southern Chhattisgarh
HUF has partnered with Transform Rural India (TRI) to work in five aspirational districts of Chhattisgarh. Despite annual rainfall of ~1200-1250 mm, these regions have high run-off, lack of residual water and soil degradation, making agriculture beyond monsoons practically impossible.
The programme aims to get community-based organizations (CBOs) in the forefront of water security planning and execution in their villages. The programme will facilitate creation durable assets (plantations, water tanks, ponds) by involving integrated natural resource management (INRM) principles in MGNREGS execution (viz. water harvesting structures, plantations, orchards, etc.) and their integration with livelihood and farm-based programmes. The idea is to develop regionally appropriate plans that reflect the community's needs. This will be achieved by unlocking convergence between flagship government programmes, such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).
It is slated to create a water potential of 364 billion litres.
A key element of the Programme would be to codify best practices as manuals, process maps, templates, etc., for easy replications within the state and similar regions across the country.
Professional Assistance for Development Action (TN) (4 of 5)
Innovation solutions, positive impact
The Usharmukti (salvation from barrenness) project aims to improve water security in plateau districts of West Bengal. The project adopts a watershed approach to improve land productivity through soil and water conservation measures.
HUF supported PRADAN to form a Project Management Unit (PMU), which engages with the local community as well as district and state administration to plan and approve water infrastructure plans under MGNREGS, and develop Detailed Project Reports (DRPs). The DRP outlines all water conservation work for the Gram Panchayat (GP) leading to creation of long term water assets.
The project success has led to an expansion to ten new blocks with the Government’s financial support. This collaboration between government, civil society organisations and private sector collaboration can serve as an effective model for improving water security in the entire Chotta Nagpur plateau belt. The programme has delivered the following outcomes:
- 51,875 farmers benefitted
- 161.77 billion litres of water potential created
- 40 million+ person days generated
Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action (SRIJAN) (5 of 5)
Preserving traditional water sources
The Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh is water scarce. In recent years, this scarcity is aggravated due to increase in population, traditional agricultural practices, climate change and mismanagement of water resources.
HUF’s partner SRIJAN has developed a model to revive 110 traditional tanks through active community participation. SRIJAN formed Tank Management Communities (TMC) to de-silt, repair, maintain and regulate water use from each tank. The programme, through co-funding, also promotes 50 Prakritik Kendras (helping farmers procure organic manure) as a supplement to tank rejuvenation.
In addition to the community tanks, the programme also supplements critical irrigation gaps by constructing dohas (small farm ponds) and can be replicated across the region. It has delivered the following outcomes:
- 6,253 farmers benefitted
- 10.39 billion litres of water potential created
- An additional annual yield and biomass of 1,552 tonnes produced
- 33,809 person days generated
Previous Partnerships
Watershed Organisation (WOTR) (1 of 4)
Addressing drought, cultivation challenges
The Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in Maharashtra face challenges with intermittent droughts and water security. The community’s challenges have worsened due to frequent droughts, poor cultivation and improper land husbandry management.
WOTR helps farmers break out of this vicious cycle. The programme adopts a participatory model, leveraging complementary strengths of the government, private sector, civil society organisations and local communities to reduce regional water vulnerabilities.
The programme, focuses on improving water accessibility, working with farmers on good crop choices, and restoring soil health serving the entire Maharashtra Central Plateau region. It has delivered the following outcomes:
- 1,115 farmers benefitted
- 96.59 billion litres of water potential created
- An additional annual yield and biomass of 9,626 tonnes produced
- 0.37 million person days generated
BAIF Development Research Organisation (BAIF) (2 of 4)
Converging community and technology
The Surgana block in Nasik (Maharashtra) receives sufficient annual rainfall, however, due to the location of the local villages on hill tops groundwater recharge potential is limited and water runs off very quickly.
HUF partnered with BAIF and initiated a technical assessment of the terrain, soil, and water. Based on the assessment the team developed a long-term, multi-pronged plan. Based on the ridge-to-valley approach, the programme revived community structures, promotes rainwater harvesting and sustainable water governance practices.
This use of scientific and nature based solutions to enhance water availability could serve as a template for parched and hilly terrain areas of this region.
~20 million litres of water potential created
Centres for International Projects Trust (CIPT) (3 of 4)
Catalysing sustainable agriculture
Agriculture is critical to Punjab’s economy and India’s staple food production. The agriculture in the state comprises of rice-wheat monoculture. These are both water intensive crops, however, the canal coverage in programme region is ~25%, leading to high groundwater extraction to meet the water requirements for these crops. HUF has partnered with CIPT, who further engaged with 76 co-operative societies across 205 villages in five programmes. The team supported over 2 lakh acres of land through field training, demos , expert consultations, and mobile apps. Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) , Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) and deployment of IoT based sensors are some of the interventions used.
The programme has delivered the following outcomes:
- 12,395 farmers benefitted
- 67.5 billion litres water potential created
- An additional annual yield and biomass of 12,299 tonnes produced
- 75,515 person days generated
People’s Action for National Integration (PANI) (4 of 4)
Catalysing adoption of sustainable practices
Agriculture is becoming unviable for small and marginal farmers due to high input costs (including water), poor yields and low price realisations. HUF’s partnership with PANI aims to establish a sustainable and profitable agriculture model for small and marginal farmers of Balrampur district, East Uttar Pradesh. Over 300 women professionals from local villages are trained as agri-water professionals. These professionals then engage with local farmers through on site demos, farm advisory, access to quality seeds and reliable bio-inputs, etc. to reduce inputs (especially water) and increase farm productivity.
Launched in 2019, the programme covers 300 villages across six blocks of Balrampur district. More than 66,000 farmers adopt sustainable water practices and benefit from these programme interventions. The programme has delivered the following outcomes:
- Water potential of 132.21 Bn litres created
- 245,362 additional annual yield and biomass produced
- 8.1 million person days generated
Demand side programmes
HUF’s demand-side programmes work with farmers, especially small landholders, to help them better manage water use in agriculture, which includes:
- Improved irrigated water use application efficiency.
- Enhanced yield with lower water consumption by using an improved variety of seeds.
- Increased water usage efficiency with intercropping - cultivating another crop alongside the main crop.
- Shift to relatively less water-consuming crops.
Choose a partner logo to view the demand-side programme details.
Access Development Services (ACCESS) (1 of 10)
Safeguarding Jal and Zameen for small and marginal farmers in Rajasthan
The district of Jaipur, in Rajasthan lies within the arid and semi-arid belt of India and experiences extreme temperatures throughout the year. The region is characterized by scanty rainfall averaging 564 mm, with less than 20 days of rain in a year.
While parts of Jaipur are urbanized, in rural Jaipur districts, agriculture the primary occupation. Here, the farming community relies heavily on groundwater for irrigation. Moreover, the farmers continue to cultivate wheat, a water-intensive crop and use outdated and inefficient irrigation practices like flood irrigation, making agriculture unviable and further degrading the soil and reducing its water retention capacity.
ADS and HUF have come together to tackle the critical issues of groundwater depletion and land degradation faced by small and marginal farmers in Rajasthan. The programme aims to achieve sustainable agriculture by promoting water conservation, improving soil health and increasing farmers’ resilience through two key strategies:
- Collaborating directly with farmers to encourage water-efficient practices at the farm level, promoting a shift in behaviour.
- Leveraging government funds to improve water infrastructure. This includes repairing existing water bodies, potentially building new recharge infrastructure and storage facilities based on needs and providing technical and input linkages to the farmer.
The programme intends to benefit 70,000 farmers across 10 blocks of Jaipur in 4 years. It aims to create a water potential of 176.39 billion Liters.
Society for Upliftment of Villagers and Development of Himalayan Areas (SUVIDHA) (2 of 10)
Augmenting Water Efficiency for Resilient Farming in Uttar Pradesh
Budaun district, nestled in the lower Ganga-Ramganga interbasin, has traditionally been fertile. However, with the increase in population, agriculture demand has grown manifold. Despite being in the interbasin, farmers rely on borewell based irrigation severely affecting the groundwater reservoirs. This traditionally agrarian district relies heavily on groundwater for irrigation. Groundwater accounts for 91% of the total irrigation. Poor water uses and irrigation management practices and the unpredictability of rainfall and alterations in the timing and intensity of monsoons has impacted traditional agricultural practices.
SUVIDHA and HUF have come together to tackle the issue head on by reducing dependency on groundwater resources by driving water use efficiency at the farm level. The programme will establish a team of 280 Jal Sakhi /Jal Mitra who work closely with lead farmers within their villages to set up demo farms. These farms serve as demo farms or practical learning hubs, where farmers observe and adopt effective techniques that reduce their dependence on groundwater without impacting productivity; introduce farmers to climate-smart agriculture practices, especially for paddy, to save water and enhance the resilience of rice farming systems. In addition, the programme will form Water and Environment Groups (WEGs) comprising lead village farmers who implement sustainable water management practices and foster community-led initiatives.
Through these efforts, the programme aims to create water potential of 328.96 billion liters benefitting 73,000 farmers.
Sanjeevani Institute for Empowerment and Development (SIED) (3 of 10)
Building water and income security of small land holding tribal farmers
In Dhule district, Maharashtra, groundwater potential is limited, and rainfall trends are declining. Small landholding tribal farmers are solely dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Taking their cue from large farmers, these small farmers have resorted to growing input intensive cash crops to make ends meet. While this switch provides short term relief, it is sustainable.
To address this, HUF is working with SIED to build water security and income security for small land holders tribal farmers based on principles of water budgets, regenerative soil principles, and market connect. It intends to improve irrigation access, build farmer capabilities on using self-driven measurement of input use, support them with incentives to make smart choices (water use, farm practices, crop choices), and empower them through collective market-based institutions.
With support from technical partners like Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) and Tata Trusts, including engagement with government departments, the initiative aims to empower farmers and enhance agricultural sustainability in 36 villages impacting 12,229 households.
People’s Action for National Integration (PANI)- Phase 2 (4 of 10)
Driving Behavior Change for Climate-Resilient Farming in Uttar Pradesh
In Uttar Pradesh, agriculture heavily relies on groundwater for irrigation. Despite the presence of rivers and canals, approximately 70% of irrigation needs are met through groundwater sources. In recent years, climate change is further exacerbating this dependency.
The programme builds on its learning from an earlier partnership with HUF in Balsrampure district where farmers are supported through the Mahila Kisan Sangh – Cadre – Farmer Resource Centre framework. In addition, farmer behavior change is delivered through a frontline cadre that deploys an Experiment – Demonstrate – Measure – Repeat strategy. The programme will also align the state’s Climate Change Action Plan, to promote diversification and adoption of crops such as millets and introduce practices like direct seeding of rice and short-duration varieties which are more climate appropriate. A key addition to the programme is using village-level water budgets as a starting point to foster a long-term shift towards efficient cropping and water usage practices.
The program aims to codify key learnings and disseminate these learnings within PANI’s Saathi network and other areas of Uttar Pradesh.
Voluntary Association of Agricultural General Development Health and Reconstruction Alliance (VAAGDHARA) (5 of 10)
Voluntary Association of Agricultural General Development Health and Reconstruction Alliance
Transforming Water Potential of Banswara
The Sajjangarh, Kushalgarh, and Gangad-Talai blocks of Basnwara district are in the upper reaches of the Mahi basin. While the region receives annual rainfall in the range of 800-1200 mm, the rain falls in a small window of 30 to 45 days, leaving the rest of the year arid. In addition, ~60-70% of rain quickly flows (60-70%) out of the upper reaches, taking a large part of fertile topsoil. Even though agriculture is the mainstay of the population, irrigation coverage in the region is low – ranging from 9% to 29% and land development is inadequate.
The programme focuses on:
- Enhancing water accessibility by engaging with the Gram Sabha and creating water conservation structures
- Improving water-use optimization for agriculture led by a local cadre of Jal Doots and Jal Swaraji. Jal Doots and Jal Swarajis are community-based sources who trigger a transformative change by promoting water numeracy, conservation, and the revival of the Hangadi kheti model (a system of multi-cropping).
Through this programme, more than 30,000 tribal farmers will adopt improved farming practices and create and rejuvenate more than 180 local water harvesting structures delivering 54 billion litres of water potential over three years.
Learnings from this programme can applied to the wider Mahi river basin area through the use of advocacy toolkits and focussed stakeholder interaction.
Centers for International Projects Trust (CIPT)- Phase 2 (6 of 10)
Building a water-efficient agriculture model across Punjab
Punjab is characterized by the dominance of a paddy-wheat cropping system. The demand of water for this paddy wheat cropping system is 2300 mm which is 400% of the current rainfall. This has resulted in severe depletion of the groundwater table.
In the current phase the programme is being scale up to 12 districts (from earlier 4 districts) with reach to about 3.5 lakh farmers in 1600 cooperatives (out of the total of 3500) cooperatives in the state. It is expected that the programme would enable adoption of water efficient technologies and practices by about 1.4 Lakh farmers over an area of 4 lakh hectares. The programme would help establish a water efficient agriculture model across Punjab reducing the irrigation water use by 25%.
To overcome this trend, water efficient technologies and practices such as adoption of adoption of Short duration variety (SDV), Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR), Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), in-situ and ex-situ crop residue management, inputs and irrigation management (including sensors) were promoted in the first phase in partnership with cooperative societies. This phase of the programme builds upon the previous phase through direct engagement and fostering interested farmers to take lead in their respective villages.
HUL’s Project Prabhat (7 of 10)
Improving access increasing income
The water pillar of Prabhat works with reputed civil society organisations to deliver Water for Public Good in communities near HUL’s key factory sites. HUF designs the programme framework and helps identify the implementing civil society organisations, while HUL’s supply chain team drives it on ground and the Prabhat team anchors it. The implementation partners, viz. BAIF Development Research Foundation (BAIF), Mysore Resettlement and Development Agency (MYRADA) and Parmath Samaj Sevi Sansthan (PSSS) have covered 25, 31 and 36 villages respectively, over a period of Feb 2019 – May 2023.
The collaborative programme outcome is:
BAIF
Factory sites at Khamgaon, Silvassa and Gandidham
- 4,610 farmers reached
- 8.92 billion litres of water potential generated
- additional agricultural production of 45,763 tonnes produced
- 2.4 million person days generated
MYRADA
Factory sites at Hosur and Puducherry
- 2,061 farmers reached
- 23.01 billion litres of water potential generated
- additional agricultural production of 7658 tonnes produced
- 125, 398 person days generated
PSSS
Factory sites at Chhindwara, Etah and Sumerpur
- 4876 farmers reached
- 20.95 billion litres of water potential generated
- additional agricultural production of 5734 tonnes produced
- 198,332 person days generated
Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN) (8 of 10)
Restorative and regenerative agriculture
The Paschimanchal region of West Bengal has a unique topography and poor water infrastructure – less than 10% of the area is under irrigation, but farming is the mainstay of the small tribal farmers in this region. HUF collaborated with PRADAN to activate a base of frontline workers (Chasi Bandhus/ farmer friends) who act as the key interface for local farmers to promote improved agriculture and water practices at the farm level. The programme advises farmers on sustainable water usage practices, crop choices including climatically suited local heirloom varieties of rice and helps drive convergence with local government programmes to improve farm outputs and access to water at farm level.
The programme benefits 3,400 farmers and has delivered the following outcomes:
- 6.01 billion litres of water potential created
- An additional annual yield and biomass of 1228 tonnes produced
- 1.7 million person days generated
Swayam Sikshan Prayog (SSP) (9 of 10)
Empowering women to drive prosperity
Osmanabad is a drought prone region in Maharashtra. Average rainfall is irregular and low only 600-850 mm per year and securing farm produce is a challenge for the local farmers. HUF’s partnership with SSP aims to implement a district wide integrated ‘Sustainable Water for Agriculture’ model. This model is designed for farmers in climate-risk and drought-prone regions. SSP works with local women leaders to execute the model based on a three pronged approach viz. (i) kissan – promote vegetable farming which is more lucrative, helps improve nutritional sufficiency, with lesser water footprint (ii) sarkaar - drive engagement and mobilise community demand to effectively allocate and utilise government funds for creating village level water infrastructure (iii) bazaar – estabhismnet of a replicable market model for local produce by activating 2 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
Over 48,000 farmers are part of the programme, which also supports 100 farm ponds. The programme is an example of how women can transform their districts’ water future and lead the path from deficiency to prosperity. The programme has delivered the following outcomes:
- 48000 farmers benefitted
- 100 farm ponds supported
Villgro Innovations Foundation (10 of 10)
Harnessing technology
The evolution of AgTech has led to innovative solutions for water conservation and sustainable use in agriculture. HUF partnered with Villgro, India’s leading social enterprise incubator, to identify and support social enterprises that can help solve India’s water scarcity challenges. Through the partnership, HUF and Villgro selected 9 startups (from 3500+ applications) for incubation support, with engagement periods varying from 6-18 months. Through this, Villgro provides mentorship and technical assistance, HUF facilitates access to field partners to test innovations, validate and refine solutions, assess market fit and make solutions market ready for scale up.
The programme has delivered the following outcomes:
- 7,366 farmers benefitted
- 416 water bore-wells recharged
- 0.59 billion litres of water potential created
- An additional annual yield and biomass of 45 tonnes produced
Previous Partnerships
Vikram Sarabhai Centre for Development Interaction (VIKSAT) (1 of 2)
From water scarcity to water security
Tribal populations, largely small holder farmers, dominate the northern Gujarat districts of Banaskantha and Sabarkantha. Since the groundwater potential is limited, the community needs help to resolve the significant water gap between availability and demand.
HUF’s partnership with VIKSAT addresses the water challenge by building ‘water literacy’ as the foundation for collective action towards water security. Every year, post -monsoons, women from the local community start with a water budgeting exercise, and develop a water scorecard. The water scorecard helps the community take data based collective decisions on farming. VIKSAT also promotes improved agriculture practices that enhance water use efficiency.
Today, more than 10000 women farmers from 53 villages are driving the change towards optimum water use. The programme has delivered the following outcomes:
- 10,767 farmers benefitted
- 9.33 billion litres of water potential created
- An additional annual yield and biomass of 2007 tonnes produced
- 98,095 person days generated
Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) (2 of 2)
Breaking silos, driving convergence
The HUF programme with the FES spans five districts of Odisha, and demonstrates a model for capability and capacity development of the state’s field extension workers across the Agriculture, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj departments. This partnership worked with Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM) to equip the frontline workers with skills to engage with village communities, generate plans for water conservation structures and encourage farmers to adopt progressive agricultural practices.
The programme has increased water usage productivity in the principal crops of the region and helped realise higher incomes. The programme has delivered the following outcomes:
- 96,251 farmers benefitted
- 140.57 billion litres of water potential created
- An additional annual yield and biomass of 71,070 tonnes produced
- 1.38 million+ person days generated
Research and knowledge programmes
Given the range of India’s water problems and solutions, there is a need to create and amplify solutions and build a collaborative engagement ecosystem for water stakeholders. These programmes aim to:
- Consolidate and curate insights on solutions, methods, and tools that serve as powerful water solutions in different parts of the country.
- Amplify the insights and solutions through various communication methods and channels.
- Build engagement and a collaborative dynamic amongst different stakeholders.
Choose a partner logo to view the research and knowledge programme details.
Water, Environment, Land and Livelihoods (WELL) Labs (1 of 4)
Improving Water Security Indicators in India
Water, Environment, Land and Livelihoods (WELL) Labs is a research and innovation centre dedicated to driving social impact in the field of water sustainability. Based in Bengaluru, WELL Labs is part of the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) Society. WELL Labs co-creates science-backed solutions by working closely with multiple stakeholders such as governments, businesses, multilateral institutions and civil society groups.
HUF is partnering with WELL Labs to undertake research on developing improved water security indicators. There are many supply- and demand-side interventions being implemented to address India’s water stress, but there is a lack of landscape-level indicators that assess the water security of a watershed. Validating these indicators could potentially sharpen the focus of water security interventions and create greater impact.
This study will be based on extensive literature review and stakeholder engagements with practitioners, donors/CSRs, academicians and domain experts. It will help better understand interventions and their outcomes/impacts. The aim is to develop evidence-based water security indicators and gradually establish them among a wider network of stakeholder working in the domain of water security.
As indicators emerge, WELL Labs will organise a national conference to showcase the framework and build consensus between technical experts and sector leaders on the optimal set of indicators to achieve water security in India.
Atlas for Behaviour Change in Development (ABCD) (2 of 4)
The Atlas for Behaviour Change in Development is a digital platform that provides a curated collection of successful behaviour change interventions from a wide range of experts, practitioners, etc. Developed by Dalberg and CSBC, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation It offers insights, case studies, and resources to help funders and practitioners design and implement effective behaviour change programs.
HUF's programmes are built around the core pillars of Know More, Save More and Use Less. Each of these pillars relies heavily on behaviour change to drive change. However, behaviour change in water is complex and can be slow-moving. Thus, integrating cutting-edge behavioural approaches into HUF operations is essential for adopting sustainable water practices and driving both direct and second-order impacts by influencing the broader ecosystem by sharing insights and experiences on water and behaviour change.
The Atlas aims to improve the impact and scalability of development interventions by sharing knowledge and best practices in behaviour change. The platform brings together sector leaders – funders, NGOs, policy makers, researchers, behaviour change specialist organizations, and development think tanks.
India Development Review (IDR) (3 of 4)
India Development Review (IDR) supports HUF to share the knowledge, learnings, and expertise gained since 2010 through its work across different regions and stakeholders. IDR is Asia’s largest media platform for development. HUF’s Partnership with IDR focuses on:
Designing, developing and distributing communications assets around water: The learnings communicated are done through innovative approaches drawn from HUF and its partners to a wide range of stakeholders via IDR’s website and social media channels.
Building the communications capacity of HUF’s partners: IDR develops and conducts communication workshops to leverage different media channels and mainstream publications;
Drive dialogues around water among key stakeholders: To help amplify the insights and solutions at scale using appropriate communication methods and channels, IDR helps and supports HUF to evangelise and amplify a range of solutions to address the water challenges in India.
ACWADAM (4 of 4)
HUF’s partnership with ACWADAM provides technical support to implementation partners by building their capability on designing water security solutions that are appropriate for the region. ACWADAM supports the civil society organisation partners who are implementing the programme around HUL and group’s eight factory location: Chhindwara, Sumerpur, Etah, Khamgaon, Silvassa, Gandhidham, Hosur, and Pondicherry covered through three nodal implementation civil society organisation partners, namely, Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan (PSSS), BAIF Development Research Foundation (BAIF), and MYRADA.
The project’s primary purpose is to develop science-based, community-driven groundwater augmentation and management and governance solutions around HUL’s factory sites. This partnership builds capabilities of local communities, civil society organisation partners, and factory teams for comprehensively mapping groundwater, implementing appropriate water conservation measures, and encouraging behavioural changes regarding water usage amongst farming communities.
Previous Partnerships
Development Support Centre (DSC)
HUF supported Development Support Centre (DSC) on a research-driven approach to build informed and scalable water security solutions for Gujarat based on the state’s distinct regional water typologies. The study consulted knowledge institutions such as ACWADAM and INREM Foundation.
The group was steered by a committee comprising eminent water management experts. The study focussed on seven parameters:
- Rainfall
- Surface water
- Irrigation infrastructure
- Groundwater and its quality
- Soil type and its quality
- Agriculture
- Animal husbandry
DSC and its collaborating partners released a first-of-its-kind report providing a detailed assessment of the state’s water security and solutions. The report provides key insights and recommendations on water conservation through access, use efficiency, and managed aquifer recharge. The report was released in February 2023 through a consultative workshop involving civil society, academia, philanthropic institutions, and government representatives.
Awards and Recognition
HUF Recognized for Water Managment by CII (1 of 2)
Hindustan Unilever Foundation has won Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) Beyond the Fence, National Award for Excellence in Water Management 2024! This award recognizes the HUF’s initiative in Dharashiv, Maharashtra in collaboration with our partner, Swayam Shikshan Prayog. The programme executes a ‘Sustainable Water for Agriculture’ model to drive a water resilient future for the district. The programme engages with 1 lakh+ farmers, 75,000+ ha brought under improved practices, and 200 villages equipped with water conservation infrastructure.
HUF Wins Prestigious Water Stewardship Award (2 of 2)
HUF was honored for its outstanding commitment to water stewardship for diverse rural communities at the Sustainability 100+ Awards, presented by Network18 along with AB InBev India. Shri B.L. Verma, Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, Government of India, conferred this prestigious award. This award reaffirms HUF’s sharp focus on helping build a water-secure India, a key to Viksit Bharat.