Agriculture development and efficient water management programme to benefit over 14,250 households across 46 villages

HDFC Bank, through its CSR programme Parivartan, in partnership with Ambuja Foundation, announced the launch of a new agriculture development and efficient water management programme in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. The initiative will focus on building water harvesting and irrigation infrastructure, strengthening community institutions, and promoting women-led livelihood activities to support farmers and rural women in the region.

Located in the north of the state, the Cooch Behar district of West Bengal has significant development needs. Local communities remain underserved, with limited access to education, healthcare, employment and infrastructure, and rural residents continue to face challenges such as poor school infrastructure and inadequate access to drinking water. The programme has been designed to address these gaps by strengthening agricultural livelihoods and water security in the region, with active participation from the local community.

Under the project, the primary focus will be on building River Lift Irrigation systems, check dams and farm ponds to improve water availability for farming. In each village, community-based organisations such as Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Farmers' Clubs will be formed to lead project planning, implementation and monitoring. Water Users' Groups (WUGs) will also be set up for every irrigation structure to manage day-to-day operations and ensure efficient water use.

Speaking about the initiative, Nusrat Pathan, Head – CSR, HDFC Bank, said, "At HDFC Bank, we believe that sustainable rural development must be rooted in community ownership and long-term thinking. Through Parivartan, our partnership with Ambuja Foundation in Cooch Behar will help farmers build resilient irrigation infrastructure, adopt efficient water management practices, and create new livelihood opportunities for women in the region. We are confident this initiative will bring lasting change to one of West Bengal's most underserved districts."

Ambuja Foundation's team will support the construction of water harvesting structures, including farm ponds and check dams, to increase water harvesting capacity and groundwater recharge. Farmers will be encouraged and trained to adopt solar irrigation systems, with Solar River Lift Irrigation systems being promoted to draw river water through pumps and distribute it across large agricultural fields via an underground pipeline network. Channel rejuvenation and other water conservation activities will also be carried out on the Buri Teesta River.

The programme will additionally set up women's groups to help strengthen their financial independence. Village women will be encouraged to work collectively and set up processing units linked to livestock farming, enabling them to support their families and raise household incomes.

Speaking about the partnership, Mr. Chandrakant Kumbhani, CEO, Ambuja Foundation, said, "Ambuja Foundation and HDFC Bank are committed to bring a positive change in the lives of rural communities and that is the reason that we have come together once again to support the rural communities in Cooch Behar. We will encourage people to adopt water harvesting and efficient farming practices, while also expanding our focus on empowering women through sustainable livelihood opportunities. We look forward to strengthening and supporting rural communities on their journey toward economic upgradation."

The project's key beneficiaries are farmers and rural women, who stand to gain from a range of natural resource management and livelihood enhancement activities, including the construction of solar irrigation systems, check dams and farm ponds, channel rejuvenation, micro-irrigation systems, polyhouses, bio-resource centres, solar cold storage and micro-enterprise promotion. The project will be implemented with active participation and contribution from the local community, fostering a sense of ownership and ensuring long-term sustainability. CBOs such as WUGs and Farmers' Clubs will be promoted to manage group irrigation infrastructure, while polyhouses, Custom Hiring Centres, Farm Machinery Banks and women-led enterprises will help farmers improve their livelihoods, enhance farming practices, develop collective business models and strengthen market linkages.

Convergence with government departments will be a key component of the project. Farmers' Clubs set up in the project villages will be linked with relevant government departments, enabling farmers to access government schemes and services even after the project concludes. The project is expected to directly and indirectly impact nearly 14,259 households across 46 villages in 6 Gram Panchayats of Haldibari block in Cooch Behar district, West Bengal.

The launch was attended by Mr. Sumanta Majumdar, Branch Manager, HDFC Bank Ltd. – Jalpaiguri, West Bengal; Mr. Souvik Bhattacharya, Senior Manager, HDFC Bank Ltd.; and Mr. Deep Singha, Assistant Director of Agriculture, Haldibari Block, Cooch Behar, among other dignitaries and representatives of the local community.