12 August 2011
No. 1479
Drs Dar and Wani observing a pre-monsoon sown cotton crop grown using drip irrigation system in Padmalaya model watershed at Pathri, Jalgaon.
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.
T
he 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. 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 to page 2 ...4