PepsiCo India and Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI) facilitate improved ‘water security’ and enhance livelihoods of rural communities in Nelamangala District

Inauguration of rejuvenated Tonchinakuppe Pond in Budhihal Panchayat, Nelamangala

Enabling Second Crop Cycle: Increased water availability to enable farmers to grow

another crop after paddy

-        PepsiCo’s  Sustainable Water Resource Development and Management programme in Nelamangala includes maintenance and rejuvenation of 3 ponds in Hosur, Thorekempahalli (all in T.Begur Panchayat) and Tonchinakuppe in Budhihal Panchayat

-        The total potential water recharge created across the three water harvesting structures in T Begur and Budhihal panchayat is 1.2 billion litres*

-        Multiple capacity building trainings on better agricultural practices, water conservation & livelihood enhancement conducted for farmers & members of women SHGs

Nelamangala, July 20, 2017: PepsiCo India as a part of its ongoing Sustainable Water Resource Development and Management (SWRDM) program, today handed over the newly expanded and rejuvenated water harvesting structure with a capacity of 69,636 cubic metres, in Tonchinkuppe village in Budhihal Panchayat at Nelamangala, to the local community. The total estimated potential water recharge created across the three water harvesting structures in T Begur and Budhihal Panchayat is 1.2 billion litres. As a result of these initiatives, PepsiCo India in Nelamangala has been able to replenish more than 4 times the water it has consumed in its manufacturing operations.*

The SWRDM program supported a total agricultural area of around 250 acres and improved groundwater recharge supporting other water requirements positively impacting 350 households in these two panchayats. The newly expanded and rejuvenated water harvesting structure in Tonchinkuppe village was inaugurated by Shri T B Jayachandra, Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs & Minor Irrigation, Government of Karnataka in the presence of other dignitaries including Shri K. Srinivasamurthy, Member of Legislative Assembly, Nelamangala & Shri Niteen Pradhan & Smt. Neelima Dwivedi from PepsiCo India Leadership Team.

Funded by PepsiCo India, the SWRDM program was conceived by Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI) – a Development Organisation, in active consultation with the panchayat and the local communities in and around the plant in Nelamangala. The program has multiple cornerstones associated with it to create sustainable livelihoods for the local communities through replenishing ground water, leading to intensification of agriculture activities and farmers being able to undertake multiple cropping cycles, due to availability of water for irrigation.

This increase in agricultural activities, due to increased ground water availability is enabling farmers to grow a second crop of vegetables after paddy, leading to increase in crop yields & better economic returns. The income generation activities for women Self Help Groups (SHGs), as part of the community engagement aspect of the SWRDM programme, also enables contribution of additional incomes to the households leading to better socio- economic benefits for the communities. The SWRDM programme covers communities across four villages namely Hosur, Thorekempahalli, T.Begur (all in T.Begur Panchayat) and Tonchinakuppe in Budhihal Panchayat.

Speaking on the development, S Eswaramoorthy, Plant Manager-Nelamangala, PepsiCo India said, “As a part of our Performance with Purpose goal, PepsiCo is committed to working with local communities around its plant in Nelamangala to replenish water resources and improve livelihoods in a sustainable manner. The SWRDM program has revived the local economy of these villages by improving income levels and slowly moving from water scarcity to improved water security. The impact of the programme is visible in the savings of the women in these communities and the recent expansion of one of the ponds.”

*Independently assured by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP as of end 2015

In addition to water conservation projects, ADI also conducted over 6500 person days of training in 2016 for farmers and women in these villages. A total of 178 women members organized into 13 self-help groups in the project area have become economically independent by obtaining loans exceeding 29 lakhs and saving more than 15 lakhs in nationalized banks; for income generation activities like animal husbandry and candle making.

The trainings covered topics such as water conservation & its management, appropriate agricultural practices, maintenance of rainwater harvesting structures, importance of soil testing, animal rearing, embroidery and candle making among others.

About PepsiCo India

PepsiCo entered India in 1989 and has grown to become one of the largest MNC food and beverage businesses in India. PepsiCo India has been consistently investing in the country and has built an expansive beverage and snack food business supported by 62 plants across foods and beverages. PepsiCo India’s diverse portfolio includes iconic brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Kurkure, Tropicana 100%, Gatorade and Quaker.

PepsiCo’s growth in India has been guided by “Performance with Purpose”- our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. In 2009, PepsiCo India achieved a significant milestone, by becoming the first business to achieve ‘Positive Water Balance’ in the beverage world, a fact verified by Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu India Pvt. Ltd. The company has been Water Positive since then. For more information, please visit 

www.pepsicoindia.co.in

About ADI

ADI is founded with a purpose, concern, objective and perspective. Alternative Development Initiatives is working for water resource management and need based sustainable livelihood promotion. ADI is extensively working across diverse public systems, cultures and organizational frameworks at various levels. ADI’s involvement is from the very participatory planning, conceptualization, designing, facilitating the implementation process, capacity building, handling responsibility to the community while building institutions around the programme.

ADI builds active partnerships with all concerned stakeholders in National and International arena, and is addressing the problems of community through people-centered, sustainable and need-based approach. ADI through its initiatives is making a significant difference for promoting and nurturing sustainable growth, social development and good governance. For more information, please visit 

www.adi-international.org

Watershed Development

A watershed development can be defined as a collection of water bodies and land uses in a particular area. While watersheds have been created for a variety of reasons, some of them include replenishing water, providing natural habitat, or being an ecological buffer against floods.

Any of these reasons can lead to watershed development. When it comes to water, people think of pumping and capturing water to use for agricultural purposes. But there are many other ways that water can be used for watershed development.

Wetlands and pond areas are common examples of this type of development. But if the ground is filled with rocks and vegetation, it's more like a forest.

In the case of a wetland, the plant life and other materials to create a natural habitat. These ecosystems are a great place for wildlife to live. It's not uncommon for wildlife to live in wetland areas and avoid landfills and other types of trash cans.

A wetland can be used as an artificial habitat for fish, plants, and animals. The important thing to remember about a wetland is that it needs to be maintained in order to ensure the life cycle of the animals, plants, and aquatic species that reside there.

Wetlands can also be used to test the effectiveness of a wastewater treatment plant. Just because a treatment plant is in a good position to treat sewage doesn't mean that the plants in less well equipped to handle it.

This is where a storm water system comes into play. By using a storm water system, scientists and environmentalists are able to rid storm water of toxic chemicals and materials that could harm the environment.

Wetlands are essential to biodiversity and wildlife. They contain a diverse range of vegetation types, insects, animals, amphibians, reptiles, and fishes.

However, these types of watershed development do not always work well in every area. For instance, wetlands can be very vulnerable to erosion and pollution.

In order to prevent erosion from harming the wetlands, there are various methods that can be used. These include bridges, levees, and other methods that are meant to keep the water from flowing into streams and marshes.

In some cases, the animal populations can be destroyed. But if there are no other options, these species may be relocated into smaller areas of land where they can continue to thrive.

These are just a few examples of the types of watershed development that can take place in an area. These types of developments can actually help make an area better than it might have been.