Diageo India Launches Water Basin Rejuvenation and Regenerative Agriculture Initiatives

Alcobev major Diageo India has undertaken sustainability initiatives focused on the Godavari and Yamuna river basins as part of its water replenishment and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) strategies. The company is implementing these projects alongside ongoing efforts in regenerative agriculture and community development.

Navdeep Singh Mehram, Vice-President, CSR & Sustainability, Diageo India, noted that the company is active in Nanded and Nashik, representing different ends of the Godavari river in Maharashtra, and has recently commenced work in the Yamuna river basin. The Godavari Initiative, which is currently in its third year, aims to establish basin-level collective action with participation from the corporate sector, government bodies, NGOs, and panchayats. Coca-Cola India and Arvind Mills are among the private sector participants to join the initiative, alongside regional entities like Jain Irrigation, paper mills, and sugar mills.

As part of the Godavari project, a 9-district area from Nashik to Nanded is being mapped to address regional variations in flooding and drought. In dry zones, the focus is on clearing channels to ensure water flow during monsoons, while flood-prone regions utilize water-balancing techniques executed through local NGOs. In Nashik, Diageo is installing boom barriers to collect plastic waste, partnering with district administration for flower waste recycling, and participating on the Kumbh administration committee. Additionally, the district administration in Nanded has allocated a 5-kilometer channel for the company to clean and mitigate local flooding. Diageo is investing between ₹3 crore and ₹3.5 crore on these water projects in Maharashtra.

Srinidhi S. Rao, Head of Sustainability, Diageo India, stated that these activities are tied to the company's 'grain to glass sustainability' strategy. The firm operates manufacturing units in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Odisha, Karnataka, and Goa. In Maharashtra, the company has undertaken the desilting of six spillover ponds, known as Malgosari ponds, which has helped reduce flooding of standing paddy crops. These water replenishment efforts have increased water availability in certain regions, enabling farmers to plan additional cash crops, such as onions in Rajasthan.

In parallel, Diageo has executed a pilot project on regenerative agricultural practices using paddy across approximately 810 hectares in Telangana. This project has reduced water utilization by 60 to 70 percent through alternative wetting and drying mechanisms, resulting in carbon reduction. Because broken rice serves as a raw material for the firm, Diageo is discussing potential expansions of this agricultural model into Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh with other companies dependent on paddy cultivation.

Additional corporate social responsibility (CSR) measures include providing lake and pond silt to farmers, constructing toilets, building check dams, and establishing rainwater harvesting structures. The company is also running a grey water management pilot with TERI in Alwar, where 2 lakh trees have been planted through local community partnerships.

"Diageo India's approach to river basin rejuvenation and regenerative agriculture demonstrates how large enterprises can integrate environmental sustainability directly into their supply chains. By collaborating with local governments, NGOs, and industry peers like Coca-Cola and Arvind Mills, the company is building scalable models for water management and resource efficiency. For businesses operating in water-intensive sectors, investing in localized ecological projects and sustainable farming not only mitigates operational risks but also creates long-term value for rural communities." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes