Water Conservation

HUL is also committed to extending its efforts on water management to the larger community, and has engaged in community projects in water adjacent to our manufacturing sites. HUL's Khamgaon factory is located in a dry and arid region of Maharashtra. Around 12 years ago the factory started a pilot project on 'Watershed Management' on a five hectare plot to prevent soil degradation and conserve water. The efforts have resulted in the creation of a green belt, which is now a veritable forest of about 6,300 trees.

Encouraged by the results, HUL extended the model to a neighbouring village, Parkhed, in association with TERI and Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation. The community at Parkhed has already constructed 47 percolation bunds, 1,600 trenches, 6,000 running metres of continuous contour trenching over 100 hectares and 5 permanent check dams. Around 350 families have reaped a second crop this year which is only possible due to construction of check dams. Total land under cultivation during second crop season is 470 acres.

The annual income of the farmers in the vicinity of 5 check dams increased from around an average of Rs. 36,000/- to approx. Rs. 85,000/- per annum per farmer. This has been attributed to the availability of water in the wells during the Rabbi season and also increase in the level of water in the wells during the Kharif season. Hence, along with reaping a rabbi crop, the farmers have also been able to almost double the yield of the Kharif crop. The initiative received appreciation at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Silvassa

Karchond near Silvassa spans 1491 hectares and has a population of 3253 consisting of 478 families. The chief occupation of the area is farming for 4 months when water is available. After this the population migrates to Daman Silvassa for labor/contract jobs. Thus, water conservation was a great necessity. In association with Vanarai, an NGO, HUL's Silvassa unit embarked on a long-term project of water harvesting, which aimed to dramatically change water availability, taking it up to year-round availability from 4 months.

One of the first steps taken in the community was the awareness building process, which was accomplished with Vanarai’s help, reaching out to every corner of the village and involving every member of the village. Although it was a slow, difficult process, getting acceptance of the village and the Union Territory government was the key to sustained success of the programme. Once we had their commitment, the villagers were trained by Vanarai at Pune. The partners and teachers also visited the Agriculture centres around Gujarat.

From their learning, the community built 14 bunds (structures made of sacks filled with sand) in 2003, 33 bunds in 2004, 31 bunds in 2005 ,18 bunds in 2006, 19 bunds in 2007, 6 bunds in 2008 and 19 bunds in 2009. Approximately 5 % of total run off was harvested in 2007. This enabled the community to sow a second crop, thereby significantly increasing their incomes.

The bunds increased the availability of water in a year itself from 4 monsoon months to 8 months. The region for the first time in its history saw the second crop, rabbi being planted. It consisted of wheat, pulses, and seasonal vegetables Bund plantations in the village helps generate timber, firewood and also demonstrates the benefits of green cover. Continuous Water Trenches reduced the speed of water and soil erosion. They also reduced wind erosion, increasing moisture holding capacity of soil, increasing its fertility as well as supporting water percolation and ground water recharge.

From 2004 to 2009, 139 bunds were created as a part of the water harvesting initiative. Under community welfare initiatives, credit cards were distributed to farmers. As a part of the aforestation activity, 58000 trees were planted covering 43 hectare land and over 8000 Mango plants were distributed to farmers as a part of the Horticulture development programme.

Some key results

• 228 families benefited under various programs of the project
• Migration of approximately 60 families for 90 days stopped
• Rs. 900 thousand worth crops produced
• 134.90 TCM (Thousand Cubic Meter) of water harvested from 2003 to 2008
• 70 families use toilet blocks,
• 93 acres of land was converted into fertile land as a result of water harvesting