From Drought to Abundance: A People-Led Watershed and Farming Revolution in Maharashtra

In 2015, Maharashtra faced one of its worst droughts in recorded history. Entire villages were displaced, schools emptied as children were tasked with fetching water, and rural life ground to a halt under the weight of ecological collapse. But in the midst of this crisis, something remarkable happened: a people’s movement emerged from the community itself. Here is a video about this inspiring story in rehydration, reforestation and ecosystem repair:

Paani Foundation, co-founded by Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao alongside the team behind Satyamev Jayate, mobilized thousands of villagers across the state in a statewide initiative rooted in watershed science and voluntary labor. From 2016 to 2019, the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup trained communities in watershed development and ignited a statewide competition. The result was over 550 billion liters of annual water storage capacity created – enough to fill 55 million tankers. Entire landscapes were rehydrated through local hands.

But the story didn’t stop with water. With rehydrated soils came the potential for regeneration at every level.

In 2022, Paani Foundation launched the Satyamev Jayate Farmer Cup, a group farming competition promoting ecological farming, group cooperation, and chemical-free practices. Over 4,300 farmer groups have now taken part, with more than 1,900 of them composed entirely of women. Participants report doubling their profits and achieving yields up to ₹2.25 lakh per acre.

This is what large-scale earth repair looks like when led by communities. It is living proof that collective effort, ecological literacy, and localized stewardship can reverse degradation—and build prosperity.

As the 2026 Farmer Cup expands statewide, the model pioneered by Paani Foundation offers deep lessons for all of us working to restore watersheds, aquifers, and the social fabric they support.

We salute the Paani Foundation and the farmers of Maharashtra. They are emblematic of our shared mission: community-rooted earth repair at scale.

For more information, please check out the Paani Foundation’s website!