This World Water Day, AB InBev India commits to expanding and enhancing its water security programme in the country
Mumbai: AB InBev India today announced the expansion of its Water Security Program in the country that will enhance water conservation by up to 2X by 2025. This expansion is in line the company’s commitment to promoting sustainable water management practices across its operations.
AB InBev India’s Water Security Program is currently being implemented across key water stressed districts of Telangana, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka. Built around three key pillars – water conservation, water quality, and water access, the program aims to reduce the company’s water footprint, improve water quality, and provide more equitable access to clean water to vulnerable communities.
In line with the company’s water conservation goals, AB InBev India has achieved a recharge capability of more than 15million HL (12.5millon KL) in India and now aims to increase this by 2X by 2025. The water security program includes a range of initiatives including rainwater harvesting, waste-water treatment and recycling, groundwater recharge, and watershed management. AB InBev India also works closely with local farmers and communities to inculcate and encourage sustainable agri practices to minimise water usage, while at the same time also improve soil health.
Commenting on this occasion, Ashwin Kak, Head – Procurement and Sustainability, India and Southeast Asia, AB InBev said, “Water is a critical resource for our business and for the communities where we operate as we continue to use water sustainably across our business operations. Our Water Security Program contributes to India’s national water security goals, demonstrating its leadership in promoting sustainable business practices. We remain committed to being a part of the solution to the growing water challenges across our communities and supply chain.”
AB InBev’s renewed commitments to measurably improve water availability and quality by 2025 through the implementation of its Water Security Program will be enabled through convening stakeholders, identifying specific local water challenges, evaluating potential solutions, and then implementing agreed solutions with governance, financing mechanisms, communicating progress and measuring impact.
The Water Security Program has reaped many benefits across its implementing states. With project interventions achieving a 100% target completion rate, as per a third party assessment done by KPMG more than 60 percent respondents have reported a post-intervention increase in the availability of water in their districts, while close to 70 percent of beneficiaries surveyed also highlighted an increase in water access for agri purposes along with a rise in the groundwater levels, based off observations on the depth of borewells in their districts.
In Aurangabad, Maharashtra; 57% of the respondents highlighted that the project activities improved their water security. It was noticed that due to the improved availability of water both Rabi and Kharif crops were able to be grown. Additionally, a rise in food security was noticed by 63% of the beneficiaries and on average, there had been an increment of approximately INR 18,885 in the annual income of the farmers, post implementation of the water security program.
Meanwhile, in Rajasthan and Telangana, an increase in area under cultivation due to a decrease in waterlogging of their fields was witnessed, further contributing to an improved agricultural yield and increased farmer incomes.
