India: Conserving water at Khamgaon soap factory

Now it's a forest of greenery thanks to an environmentally-friendly model for water and soil conservation. And the success is being replicated elsewhere.

Greening the landscape

Khamgaon is a barren region that suffers from poor rainfall which has led to an acute shortage of water for irrigation. When it does rain, there is high surface water run-off which leads to soil erosion. Water scarcity also means there is a shortage of green fodder for livestock. 

Hindustan Unilever launched a water conservation project in 2001 based on the '5Rs' – reduce, reuse, recycle, recover and renew. The aim was to reduce the factory's water consumption and replenish ground water tables.

All effluent waste is now treated and reused for irrigation, while rainwater is collected to replenish sub-soil water tables. The factory started a watershed management pilot project on a five-hectare plot which has visibly transformed the local area, creating a green belt that is home to about 6 300 trees.

Sharing our experience

Encouraged by the results, we extended the model to a neighbouring village, Parkhed, in association with two national NGOs: The Education Resources Institute (TERI) and the Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF).

Villagers have constructed a complex water catchment, conservation and irrigation system. Water is channelled through 47 small earth barriers called percolation bunds that reduce the water speed in irrigation channels to prevent soil erosion. There are   1 600 trenches and 6 000 metres of continuous contour trenches covering 100 hectares. About 37 000 saplings have been planted to further help prevent soil erosion. In 2005, the village was able to collect rainwater and use it for irrigation following the annual monsoon season.

By building check dams, which reduce soil erosion and store water while also improving groundwater tables, 350 households are able to harvest a second crop. Five such dams have been built, increasing the area for second crops to over 400 acres and improving water levels in over 40% of the village's wells. We expect the dams to increase the village's groundwater levels and ensure water availability throughout the year. The annual income of farmers living in the dams' vicinity has increased from approximately 36 000 rupees (€530) to 85 000 rupees (€1 200).

Encouraging development

The project has also stimulated development by helping to build skills and encourage new income-generating opportunities.

In Parkhed, 32 self-help groups encourage women to participate in income-generating activities like composting and making Papad (lentil wafers). Local banks have loaned the groups up to 450 000 rupees (approximately €5 100) to invest in such activities. A cattle-breeding programme has reared 26 cows and 20 buffalo. Horticulture development is also encouraged with farmers using drip irrigation techniques to help conserve water. Gooseberries, lemons, mangoes and other seasonal crops are now growing in Parkhed – something previously unheard of in the village.