BAIF Development Research Foundation and Hindustan Unilever Foundation have been working on the Jal Samriddhi project in Kasganj district with a focused approach. BIRD-UP, an associate organization of BAIF in Uttar Pradesh is implementing this project. Kasganj has ample water supply but productivity is low as people there follow unscientific traditional agricultural practices. This project aims to promote judicial use of water by following better animal husbandry and agronomic practices like use of SRI, line sowing, use of bio-pesticides etc. Farmers are introduced to modern and efficient agricultural practices that result in increase in productivity of the region. We have had a very nice experience working with HUF and we would like to take this relationship further by replicating this project in different parts of the country.

Key results

• Potential to save 10.63 billion liters of water has been created by using improved agricultural practices.
• Around five farmer’s clubs have been formed and 40 farmers have been trained in System of Rice Intensification’ (SRI) techniques.
• Around 13 farmers have used maize marker (instrument to sow maize seeds in a systematic way) for sowing on more than four hectares of land.
• Around 22 livestock rearing farmers have been trained for cattle management and fodder production.