Since 2015–16 , COODU has partnered with ITC Ltd . under its flagship CSR initiative Mission Sunehra Kal to implement the Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Stewardship Programme in the Upper Bhavani River Basin (Karamadai Block, Coimbatore District) . The initiative has covered 24 micro-watersheds across seven Village Panchayats , integrating sustainable agriculture, water conservation, and community empowerment.
• Improved Crop Yields:
Farmers reported higher productivity and reduced cultivation costs.
• Water Security:
Significant reduction in water scarcity through community-led water stewardship.
• Enhanced Livelihoods:
Increased household income via improved agricultural practices.
• The
Water Stewardship Programme (WSP)
, implemented with ITC Ltd., aims to
optimize local natural resources
for
• sustainable rural livelihoods and ecological balance.
• Conservation and restoration of ecosystems.
• Prevention of soil erosion and degradation.
• Rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge.
• Enhancement of agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.
• Planted
4,89,256 native saplings
(Silver Oak, Casuarina, Mahogany, Teak, Neem, etc.)
• Sowed
1,50,000 palm seeds
and prepared/distributed
2,50,000 seed balls
.
• Constructed
40 loose boulder check dams, 30 mini percolation tanks, 55 farm ponds, and 28 well recharge units
• Renovated/constructed a total of
1,090 water harvesting structures
.
• Treated
7,850 hectares
of watershed area.
• Created
1.02 million
cubic meters of additional water storage.
• Optimized irrigation for
5,800 hectares of Banana
, Coconut, and Curry Leaf crops.
• Achieved water savings of
23.6 million
cubic meters.
• Established
28 Farmers’ Field Schools and 14 training sessions
on irrigation and organic farming.
• Conducted
151 Farmers
’ Field Schools for
2,810 farmers
on agronomic practices.
• Reached
4,100 farmers
through targeted Information, Education & Communication (IEC) campaigns.
• Formed
56 Water User Groups
(WUGs) representing
4,100 farmers
.
• Sensitized
4,800 women and tribal communities
on water conservation.
• Engaged
7,800 households
in sustainable farming and water management.
• Engaged
15 stakeholders
from academia, government, NGOs, and corporates. • Conducted
5 multi-stakeholder meetings and 2,352 WUG monthly meetings
for participatory governance.
Through Mission Sunehra Kal, COODU and ITC Ltd. have transformed the Karamadai watershed into a model for climate-smart agriculture and sustainable water management. Over a decade of collaboration has: