Some of our key projects are:

Increasing productivity of paddy cultivation using DSR and SRI methods

Paddy or rice is a major food crop in India. The ‘Krishna-Godavari delta region’ of the country is commonly referred to as the ‘Rice Bowl of India’. Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) refers to the process of cultivating paddy from seeds sown in the field rather than by transplanting seedlings from the nursery. It is recognised as one of the most viable options to reduce water consumption.

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method, popularly known as the Madagascar method, is a comprehensive initiative for managing land, seed selection, water, nutrients, labour and capital. Under this method, fewer seeds are planted in the field in a well-spaced out manner and organic manure is used.

ICICI Foundation is working with farmers across various districts in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala to promote the usage of DSR and SRI to enhance total production, productivity and reduce the cost of cultivation of rice while conserving natural resources. In fiscal 2021, this programme was extended to Punjab.

ICICI Foundation trains farmers across a wide range of paddy cultivation activities using the DSR and SRI methods. The capacity building initiatives include extensive skill development on preparation of the main paddy fields, early transplantation of seedlings, irrigation, water management, weed management and pest management by using organic compost instead of chemical fertilisers. ICICI Foundation focusses on reducing the cost of inputs and conserving water to make paddy cultivation viable for farmers. It has partnered with various agricultural universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, under the aegis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), for technical expertise.

In addition to interventions on paddy cultivation, ICICI Foundation has worked on crop substitution and integrated pest management. Brief descriptions, along with pictures, of these two examples are given below:

Crop substitution to save water

ICICI Foundation has been engaging with farmers to substitute cultivation of high water consuming crops with those that require less water, without compromising revenues. A beneficiary of the efforts aimed at promoting sweet lime crop as part of climate smart agriculture initiatives at Talpimpari village in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra (below).

Integrated Pest Management

Fruit traps have been installed in crop fields as part of the ‘Integrated Pest Management’ efforts aimed at organic crop protection, at Nawabpur village in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra. During fiscal 2021, we have installed nearly 2,200 traps across 441 acres of farmland in Latur, Aurangabad, Beed and Osmanabad districts in Maharashtra, apart from other locations.

ICICI Foundation also facilitated short training programmes in tomato sorting and grading. It also assisted migrants with government job cards across various states in the country.

Facilitating direct market linkages to farmers

The nationwide lockdown in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted traditional supply chains as it impacted transportation of fresh farm produce from villages to consumers in large cities. It created a huge inconvenience for the end consumer and impacted the income of farmers.

ICICI Foundation undertook an initiative across states including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, among others to enable farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers in nearby cities and towns. It facilitated e-passes for farmers so that they could bring their produce to local markets. This initiative helped over 2,000 farmers to sell vegetables, fruits, fish, paddy, mushroom, honey, among others. In Tamil Nadu alone, the Foundation facilitated movement of over 39 tonnes (or 39,000 kilograms) of vegetables and fruits and 40 tonnes (or 40,000 kilograms) of fish to direct selling points.

Setting-up first cold water inland fishery in Uttarakhand

In fiscal 2021, ICICI Foundation set up the first cold water fisheries in the high hills of Uttarakhand in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Directorate of Cold Water Fisheries (ICAR - DCWF). Devoid of natural water bodies, the region faces irregular supply of fish even though it is part of the local diet. ICICI Foundation turned vacant lands into fishponds by using natural water flowing from the hills. The Foundation supplemented it with necessary training to the marginalised fish farmers, helped them to prepare ponds with pond liners and to procure fingerlings. In addition, best practices in feed and water temperature testing were introduced to overcome the challenges of low temperatures, less oxygen level in the water and water hardness, among others. These efforts enabled the fish farmers to achieve a better yield and in the process, helped them increase their income.

Some of the efforts are:

Providing rainwater harvesting at schools

During fiscal 2021, ICICI Foundation has embarked on an ambitious initiative to create rainwater harvesting capacity of 50 million litres litres in schools across the country. So far, it has facilitated rainwater harvesting in over 300 schools in 14 states. The initiative is expected to make water available at these schools through the year, as well as to create a habit of water conservation among students.

River deepening to alleviate perennial water shortage

Many villages face perennial water shortage due to uncertainty of rainfall and lack of adequate storage capacity. ICICI Foundation collaborates with Gram Panchayats to help villages overcome this challenge. For instance, it has undertaken a project to conserve water of the river Makhari at the drought prone Sarate Vadgaon village in Beed district of Maharashtra. The river path leading up to the existing check dam has been deepened through excavation and the riverside bund has been repaired. The river has been desilted and shrubs have been removed to reduce soil erosion. Through these interventions, water storage capacity of 60 million litres has been created that ensures an additional crop season at 185 acres of land. Further, this project supports underground water recharge to 125 bore wells and 95 wells, enabling access of drinking water to over 250 households.

Water conservation through crop substitution

ICICI Foundation is with farmers in Maharashtra to substitute the cultivation of sugarcane, which consumes a lot of water, with crops that require less water, without compromising on their revenues. It has encouraged the cultivation of drumstick, okra, ginger, turmeric and pomegranate to farmers as these crops require almost 60% lesser water than sugarcane. This initiative, which has been implemented in 644 acres of land, has saved 790 million litres of water in fiscal 2021