Over 200 billion litres of water has been conserved by using simple techniques of water conservation in various districts of Maharashtra which has resulted in better livelihood for hundreds of farmers and villagers. Maithili Appalwar, CEO, Avana has come to the rescue of the needy, with her unique yet traditional way of water conservation.
She is the Founder Avana, a Strategic Business unit at Emmbi Industries Limited, and wants to create affordable solutions that pull Indian farmers out of hunger and poverty. Avana’s flagship product, Jalasanchay, is the world’s most affordable end-to-end water conservation solution. Jalasanchay is a simple, but brilliant, idea – you dig a large pit in the farm and cover it with a polymer lining that does not allow the water to seep into the ground; this creates an artificial pond that captures rainwater and river surplus. At 1 paisa per liter per year, Jalasanchay costs 1/10th of a concrete tank for the same size of water storage, making it viable for farmers at the bottom of the pyramid too. The solution is highly scalable – in less than 3 years, Avana has saved 200 billion litres of water in partnership with 5000 farmers.
The 200 billion litres of water has been conserved successfully at Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, Parbhani, Beed, Solapur, Pune, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Jalgaon, Buldhana, Dhule, Buldhana, Washim, Hingoli and Nashik in Maharashtra, as well as Jaiselmer, Bikaner, Churu, Shri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Nagaur and Bhilwara in Rajasthan.
Maithili Appalwar said, “I am passionate about frugal innovations – about doing more with less. I think the key is realizing that innovation in technology is not necessarily about big investment. It’s about solving critical problems in the most efficient way possible. At Avana, we have always thrived to provide simple solutions at affordable cost, keeping in mind the social change it can bring to a society at large.”
In 2018, a report by NITI Aayog stated that India was facing the worst water crisis in its history. Over 60% of the country is vulnerable to drought and one-third of the country’s districts have faced more than 4 droughts in the past decade. But, the worst is yet to come. By 2030, India’s water demand will be double its available supply.
Clearly, conserving water and recharging the underground water table is critical for farmers who depend on it for their livelihood. But traditional water conservation solutions, such as concrete tanks, are unaffordable for the vast majority of Indian farmers. Several startups and NGOs have come forward to propose solutions to this problem, including 22-year old Maithili Appalwar. The Georgia Tech engineer returned to India when she realized that simple solutions could solve India’s water crisis.
