The Challenge
The Central India Tribal Region (CITR) is home to 171 million multidimensionally poor people, including 70 million tribals — over 70% of India’s tribal population. Secure access to and control over water is vital for livelihoods — 83% of farmers are smallholders dependent on rainfed agriculture.
Decreasing landholdings, lack of water conservation structures, and low productivity compound these challenges. Women, already marginalised, are disproportionately affected, lacking access, control, and decision-making power in agricultural systems.
Without systemic, gender-responsive interventions, 57 million smallholders will face worsening poverty and precarity.
The Solution
PRADAN is a non-profit empowering rural communities and driving transformative, sustainable development. PRADAN’s AWARE initiative focuses on women’s leadership in smallholder farming systems, aiming to secure water access for five million women in the CITR, benefiting 25 million people across 70,000 villages.
AWARE amplifies women’s voices in governance — ensuring representation in decision-making — and builds coalitions to inform water and agriculture policies, ensuring targeted investment and capacity building. Women’s leadership is amplified through farmer collectives and technology platforms are leveraged to strengthen their negotiation power.
With Co-Impact’s support, PRADAN has achieved the following
People-level outcomes
Supported 4,971 village organizations in GIS-based planning and water governance processes.
Increased income for 54,000 women by 30-50%.
Enabled 107,000 households to complete water access management plans, creating 69,704 irrigation or livelihood assets.
76,322 women became shareholders in farmer producer companies, resulting in 63,250 women earning income.
Systems-level outcomes
Established 12 coalitions to influence policies and practices for women’s strategic positions in water and agriculture.
Unlocked USD $300 million for water resource development for women and smallholders.
Facilitated interdepartmental collaboration among government departments in two states.
Developed two state and national policies/guidelines mandating women’s representation in monitoring bodies.
Organisation-level outcomes
Formed a workgroup to integrate systems change and gender equality in PRADAN’s work.
Reorganized the operational structure to enhance government collaborations.
Established a Center of Excellence (CoE) for Gender Equality to build internal expertise in gender-transformative processes and contribute to the sector.
