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Farming in India: Need for Irrigation Facilities
Agriculture is considered the backbone of the Indian economy, as more than 75% of its population
thrives on it. However, of late, it is observed that the contribution of agriculture to the economy is
declining. According to World Bank’s India Country Overview 2008, “Slow agricultural growth is a
concern for policymakers as some two-thirds of India’s people depend on rural employment for a
living. Current agricultural practices are neither economically nor environmentally sustainable and
India’s yields for many agricultural commodities are low. Poorly maintained irrigation systems and
almost universal lack of good extension services are among the factors responsible...
Social Innovation in Small Scale Irrigation: A Case of International
Development Enterprise India
Amitabha Sadangi (Sadangi), CEO of IDEI, saw the link between water scarcity and poverty
early in life. His parents who were marginal farmers of Ganjam district, Orissa, could sow only one
crop a year due to water scarcity. The family could barely meet their basic needs. Finding no source
of regular income, he was forced to sell newspapers to fund his education. Later, after pursuing his
post-graduation in Labor and Social Welfare, in 1981, Sadangi decided to dedicate himself working
for the upliftment of rural farmers...
IDEI Business Model
The organization’s business model is simple. It nurtures the philosophy of treating farmers as
their valuable customers. It ensures that the pumps are used by as many farmers as possible. For
the same, IDEI has been setting up local supply chains to manufacture, distribute, sell and install
the pumps. All the people involved in the chain are trained by IDEI and operate under the license
of IDEI. The organization conducts the research and development activity at its centre in Delhi
based on the needs of the small farmers...
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