The company also carried out Integrated Water Resources

Management project in partnership with ICRISAT in five villages of Medak district. Launched in 2010, the project spread over four villages of Fasalvadi, Shivampet, Venkatakishtapur and Chakriyal, covering 2,526 households with a total population of 12,940 on an area of 4500 hectares. It applies Integrated Genetic and Natural Resource Management (IGNRM) approach to bring about sustainable management of water and enhanced livelihoods within the watersheds, the company official said. "This has been attempted by improving agricultural productivity by adopting rainwater conservation and harvesting and building capacity of the farmers in the selected villages to develop sustainable water management practices that enhance groundwater availability and use efficiency," he said. As a result of interventions so far, on an average, chickpea grain yields have increased by 35 per cent, cotton by 12 per cent, paddy grain 15 per cent and sugarcane by 8 per cent, he said.