The Future of Farming: How Water Conservation is Reshaping Agriculture in India

Author: Shraman Jha , CEO, HUF

India will face severe water stress by 2030 if we continue to consume water at current rates. Depleting groundwater, coupled with changing rainfall patterns, is compounding the country’s water woes. Amid the ongoing crisis, nonprofit organisations are stepping up efforts to address water security. Supported by Hindustan Unilever Foundation (HUF), and in collaboration with farmers and local communities, they are implementing a range of strategies to reduce water usage in agriculture.

The World Bank has emphasized the importance of groundwater management in India, particularly through the Atal Bhujal Yojana. This program, implemented in over 8,220 gram panchayats across seven states, is the world's largest community-led groundwater management initiative. It aims to improve groundwater conservation by helping villagers understand their water availability and usage patterns and promoting sustainable practices such as rainwater harvesting and recharging of aquifers.

The Prime Minister has consistently kept the issues of water centre stage – indeed, opened up the discourse around its criticality. Several water-related programmes have been driven aggressively, such as the Jal Jeevan Mission: This mission has made significant strides in providing safe drinking water to rural households, now extended to 2028.

Seemingly simple mantras, like Catch the Rain Campaign, have encouraged communities to construct harvesting structures, significantly enhancing rainwater capture and storage. The campaign's success is evident in the increased awareness and participation in rainwater harvesting practices nationwide.

Special mention must be made of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched recently in September 2024. It stands out for its community-driven approach: The initiative emphasizes community participation and ownership in water conservation efforts. It aims to mobilise citizens, local bodies, industries, and stakeholders to work together for sustainable water management.

March 22, is observed as World Water Day – a time to focus on this precious common resource for the planet. This year's theme, "Glacier Preservation", may seem far-fetched and alien to most city dwellers. Glaciers are not just majestic ice formations but vital components of our planet's water cycle. They serve as long-term freshwater reserves, supporting ecosystems and human communities worldwide. Indeed, outside of the polar regions, they hold the world's most significant amount of fresh water. However, due to climate change, glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate, leading to severe consequences such as floods, droughts, landslides, and sea level rise. The rivers of North India – and those of Pakistan and Bangladesh, are primarily fed by melting glaciers. A dry winter does not auger well – nor does heavy, untimely snow. 

While this issue may seem distant to urban populations, its consequences are deeply felt by farming communities that depend on predictable water sources for their survival. For millions of farmers, water is not just a necessity—it is their livelihood. The preservation of glaciers is crucial for maintaining the balance of our environment as well as our economy.

Since India has a diverse geography and many social systems, the approaches taken vary from one region to the next.

Osmanabad, a drought-prone district in Maharashtra, faces irregular rainfall and groundwater depletion. Swayam Shikshan Prayog  (SSP) supports women farmers in practising one-acre farming, growing food crops with bio-inputs and water-efficient techniques such as drip irrigation and sprinklers. The success of this approach has led to its adoption by thousands of women, who demonstrated the model’s benefits to their families and started practising it on larger plots of land. Eventually, SSP helped women farmers widen their market by setting up a farmer producer organisation.  

In Chhattisgarh, Transform Rural India (TRI) is working with HUF to implement sustainable practices which help revitalize degraded land to restore its ecological health, functionality and bio-diversity. A multi-dimensional approach is put into place which involves the community and government units like the MGNREGA and NRLMS to help empower communities to becomes stakeholders of their own future.

Gujarat’s Vikram Sarabhai Centre for Development Interaction (VIKSAT) works in water-stressed tribal districts. Their water budgeting exercise, which uses a community scorecard, helps farmers track water use and adopt conservation measures such as field bunds, check dams, and using bio-fertilisers such as cow dung that enrich the soil

In Punjab where paddy and wheat—both water-intensive crops—grown extensively in the state. Over the years, this has contributed to depleting groundwater levels: 117 of 150 blocks in the state are overexploited. Here, Centers for International Projects Trust (CIPT) has introduced IoT-based soil moisture sensors. These notify farmers via text messages, reducing unnecessary irrigation and saving water and electricity.

In Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, People’s Action for National Integration  (PANI) has trained women agri-water professionals to help small farmers adopt low-cost irrigation techniques. Through video sessions, field demonstrations, and access to quality seeds and bio-inputs, they promote water-efficient farming practices.

These initiatives highlight the diverse and community-led approaches that are shaping India's response to the growing water crisis, ensuring long-term sustainability while empowering local populations.