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Co-optimizing solutions in water and agriculture: lessons from India on water security

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) newest report, Co-optimizing solutions in water and agriculture: Lessons from India on water security, identifies key enablers for scaling up solutions to water-scarcity in India. The information is designed to be useful for companies worldwide. Businesses face significant risks from water scarcity and have real opportunities to gain from addressing the challenge. This report is a key step in helping companies mitigate the risk and seize the opportunity. WBCSD member companies in India are in a unique position to stress-test sustainability solutions, especially as they relate to water and agriculture issues. Nearly 80% of freshwater in India is used for agriculture. And as a result, the Indian agriculture sector will be critical for ensuring effective water management and for improving water availability across the country. As such, WBCSD member companies have taken the lead on water-smart agriculture. Today’s report collates key case studies from their work, highlighting business solutions for sustainable agriculture in India – with a clear focus on water-efficiency. Case studies in the report profile 12 progressive businesses in India who have enormous potential to make Indian agriculture more sustainable. In doing so, the report uncovers the often-challenging contexts in which these solutions have been implemented, and records the impact of these solutions on key indicators (yield, water use, farmer incomes – for example).