News Desk, News Nation 360 : The DCM Shriram Foundation is pleased to present the results of the midline evaluation for the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge, in association with The/Nudge Institute's Centre for Social Innovation and the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (GoI). Since its June 2023 inception, the challenge has brought together 14 cutting-edge technologies with the goal of improving the productivity of India's smallholder farmers, especially those who grow cotton, wheat, rice, and sugarcane, and revolutionising water use efficiency. A comprehensive midline evaluation has identified four breakthrough organizations in India that are innovating to improve water use efficiency in agriculture. These organizations, EF Polymer, CultYVate, Industill, and Phyfarm, have developed technologies that enhance soil moisture retention, optimize water use through advanced advisory services, automate irrigation systems, and increase water efficiency through scalable solutions. Each organization will receive a milestone grant of INR 15 lakhs and will focus on scaling their technologies to benefit smallholder farmers. The final phase of the challenge will determine the most impactful and scalable innovation, which will be awarded INR 2 crores. This significant grant aims to support sustainable agricultural interventions and improve the livelihoods of farmers. Speaking about the challenge, Aman Pannu, President of DCM Shriram Foundation, stated that An important project to solve water-related issues in agriculture is the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge, which is especially important for smallholder farmers who represent the backbone of India's agricultural sector. The midline study has brought to light the potential of several revolutionary improvements that hold great promise for improved production and water saving. The actual evaluation procedure was a painstaking two-month process that involved field trips in eight states. Aiming to evaluate the impact and efficacy of the innovations, these visits comprised on-site evaluations of the chosen technology in use and interviews with hundreds of farmers.
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