Project Wadi: Sowing the Seeds of Transformation

Agriculture has played a major role in advancing the human civilisation for thousands of years and still continues to do so. It has remained a source of sustenance to many, as their families depend upon it.

In line with the Vedanta’s ideology of giving back to the society, ESL Steel Limited, Vedanta’s steel arm, has been working for the betterment and upliftment of communities around its business location in various possible ways. Project WADI, one of the CSR initiatives of the business, focuses on the value that agriculture still holds and brings in the lives of people – both its practitioners and its consumers.

This project works towards the development of orchard and restoration of denuded land through ecological intervention and soil conservation measures to ensure that the livelihood and food security of tribal households, bereft of basic necessities, are sustainably improved. The idea of WADI is to promote efficient, equitable, self-managed, and sustainable use of natural resources through on-farm and off-farm enterprise development and reduce the grievances of poverty-stricken tribal community members.

So far, through Project WADI, 450 acres of barren land have been converted into orchard and cultivated land through support given for irrigation facilities and solar pumps. Alongside, around 25,000 plantations have been successfully completed in 200 acres of land as a step towards creating greener communities, and eventually a greener nation. The initiative has also been able to bring 450 acres of land under irrigation.

True progress can occur only when the benefits of development initiatives are reaped by those belonging to different strata of society. Hence, through assistance in orchard development, soil cultivation, intercropping methods and irrigation facilities, Project WADI has been able to provide sustainable livelihood to more than 450 tribal families. In Kharif season, 80 tribal farmers earned more than ₹18 lakhs in total through inter-cultivation alone.

Kalpana Devi is one of the farmers who got associated with this project. Earlier, she used to grow monsoon crops like paddy, maize and few other vegetables which were not sufficient to provide for her family needs. After getting acquainted this project, she decided to establish Wadi in one acre of land. At present, Kalpana Devi has developed her one acre of land with mango and guava as well as with intercropping of various types of vegetables.

Kalpana is now able to earn ₹20,000 in Kharif season by selling various types of vegetables like tomato, brinjal, pumpkin, spinach and radish. She has also been motivating other women farmers of her wadi cluster to do intercropping and spreading the culture of Wadi establishment. She says, “This project has helped me to earn a livelihood and sustain my family needs. Now, I do not need to go outside for other work. My income has also increased through intercropping of vegetables. I am grateful to the ESL CSR team, NABARD & GSS for providing this opportunity to me.”

Vedanta’s Project WADI has been sowing seeds of transformation in the lives of farmers. It has not only provided sustainable means of livelihood to farmers through training and orchard development, but also improved their quality of life and empowered the women in the communities.