Four organisations have been shortlisted for the final round of the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge. DCM Shriram Foundation, in collaboration with The/Nudge Institute’s Centre for Social Innovation and the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (GoI), announced the outcomes of the midline evaluation for the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge.

The four organisations that will advance to the final round of the challenge and who will be awarded the milestone grant of ₹15 lakh each include EF Polymer (specialising in bio-inputs that enhance soil moisture retention), CultYVate (providing advanced advisory services to optimise water use in farming), Industill (innovating in the automation of irrigation systems for precise water management) and Phyfarm (developing scalable solutions to increase water efficiency in agriculture).

A media statement said each of these organisations will now focus on scaling their technologies to improve water use efficiency and profitability for smallholder farmers at affordable prices. The final phase of the challenge will commence from September and the winner will be announced in February 2025. It said ₹2 crore will be awarded to the most impactful and scalable innovation, making it one of the most generous grants available for sustainable agricultural interventions.

Critical initiative

Launched in June 2023, the challenge brought together 14 technologies aimed at transforming water use efficiency and boosting productivity for India’s smallholder farmers, particularly those cultivating paddy, wheat, sugarcane and cotton.

These technologies have been deployed across multiple agro-climatic zones in India. A comprehensive midline evaluation, conducted by The/Nudge Prize team in partnership with Ecociate Consultants, an independent third-party evaluator, has identified four organisations through a rigorous jury process.

Quoting Aman Pannu, President, DCM Shriram Foundation, the statement said the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge is a critical initiative aimed at addressing water-related challenges in agriculture, especially for smallholder farmers who are the backbone of India’s agricultural economy. The midline evaluation has highlighted the potential of several ground-breaking innovations that promise significant contributions to water conservation and enhanced productivity.

“I want to congratulate the four winning organisations for solving for this problem and being awarded the milestone grant. As we move into the final phase, we are excited to see these technologies scale and make a tangible impact on the lives of millions of farmers across the country,” Pannu said.

Kanishka Chatterjee, Director, The/Nudge Prize, said, “Innovating for efficient water utilisation in agriculture is essential for the future of smallholder farming in India. While progress has been made in developing solutions for agri-water challenges, affordable and accessible models for marginal farmers remain scarce. The midline evaluation of the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge has demonstrated that there are viable, scalable solutions capable of addressing the complex water challenges of land productivity, pricing and market instability our farmers face.”

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