Geneva, 22 March 2022: On the UN World Water Day, we release the new version of the India Water Tool 4.0. It is a comprehensive and user-friendly application that makes water data from the Indian government and other organizations available on a publicly accessible platform. The goal is to help businesses and others water users understand their risks and plan solutions for better water management in the country.
Water scarcity is an urgent risk for India. The second part of IPCC's sixth assessment report “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability” released recently points to India as one of the most vulnerable hotspots to climate change. It highlights that crop production could fall significantly for major Indian crops by 2050 due to climate change and the resulting water stress.
Better water management in agriculture is a direct measure to improve climate change adaptation. Businesses can play an important role in building adaptation through improving water management in their supply chains thus creating win-win for all.
Building on the previous version, India Water Tool 4.0 brings production and water productivity data for 10 major crops in India that occupy over 60% of the gross cropped area in the country. This will help food and agriculture companies understand the water footprint of their agriculture value chains in India, and take decisions to improve value chain sustainability. The results will also be useful for agriculture solution-provider companies to understand where in the country their solutions are most needed.
First launched in 2013, the India Water Tool is a high-resolution and open access web application that has helped several businesses and consulting companies in India understand their water risk and prioritize their locations for further analysis and action. Over 20 companies, and three knowledge partners have been involved in the development of the tool over its four successive versions.
Tom Williams, Senior Director – Nature Action says: “The India Water Tool is a unique example of a collaborative effort between actors to create a sustainable future through responsible water management. With the pressure on water resources increasing, the need is now stronger than ever to create sector and value chain-based solutions to addressing the climate-water nexus. I am pleased to note that the India Water Tool continues to develop with this focused approach, and contribute to data-led business action".
D. Narain, Senior Bayer Representative – South Asia, Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Global Head of Smallholder Farming says: “Agriculture holds the key to better water management as it consumes the most water withdrawn locally. I feel very proud that as Bayer we have partnered and contributed to the development of the India Water Tool over the years, and now with v4 of the tool bringing agriculture demand-side water data, we see this as a significant enabler for companies to take sustainable and informed action towards improving the water footprint of agriculture value chains. I see this as a win-win for all, including businesses, communities and the environment, and a tangible effort in alignment with Bayer's strategy of promoting responsible use of resources to help people and planet thrive".
We thank all companies that have contributed to the development of the India Water Tool over its four successive versions
and the knowledge and additional funding partners
