Community well irrigation project in 25 tribal villages of Akkalkuwa wins national water award

Nandurbar: A project titled 'Livelihood development of tribal families through community well irrigation', run in 25 tribal villages of Akkalkuwa taluka, has won the CII National Award for Excellence in Water Management 2026. The Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation carried it out with funding from Atlas Copco India.

The award was presented in the 'Beyond the Fence' category at the 12th Water Innovation Summit 2026 in New Delhi, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the CII-Triveni Water Institute. The foundation's CSR deputy general manager Yogesh Raut and livelihood district manager Nilesh Pawar received it.

To give tribal and smallholder farmers assured irrigation, groups of five or six families were formed and given a shared well, pump set and water distribution system. One hundred community wells have been built in the 25 villages, giving 500 tribal families direct irrigation and bringing about 1,000 acres of rain-fed land under irrigation.

Being able to farm all year round has reduced seasonal migration and raised incomes, the foundation said, adding that the model developed in Nandurbar could inspire other tribal and rural areas.

Source: Esakal