• A joint study by Observer Research Foundation and Reliance Foundation, ‘A Decade of Doing More: Evaluating Development Interventions in India’s Rural Frontiers’, captures livelihood changes over 10 years.
• It highlights how integrated, community-led development models are contributing to sustainable rural transformation towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• At a roundtable where the publication was released, practitioners, researchers, and experts convened to chart future priorities towards self-reliant villages.
• Multipronged interventions across four states, with targeted approaches, have enabled households to transition out of poverty.

New Delhi, 11 May 2026: A large-scale study of progress in 3,000 villages across four states of India finds that strong local institutions can drive rural well-being towards self-reliant villages. The insights from the collaborative study by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and Reliance Foundation, ‘A Decade of Doing More: Evaluating Development Interventions in India’s Rural Frontiers’ were presented at a roundtable titled “Towards an Atmanirbhar Gaon: What Lies Ahead for Rural India in the Next Decade,” here today.

The study examines the long-term impact of interventions over 10 years, across four clusters — Balangir (Odisha), Mandla (Madhya Pradesh), Adoni (Andhra Pradesh), and Radhanpur (Gujarat). It delves deep into the livelihoods and living standard changes for 2,100+ households across four clusters to appraise the impact of these interventions.

The evidence-based insights and ground-level learnings of the publication were presented by Dr Soumya Bhowmick (ORF) and Dr Saji M. Kadavil (Reliance Foundation). It highlights how integrated, community-led development models are contributing to sustainable rural transformation and advancing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. A key insight from the study is that long-term rural transformation requires integrated approaches and calls for strong collaboration across community-led institutions, civil society, research, private sector and government stakeholders to scale successful models that strengthen rural India.

At the roundtable in New Delhi, policymakers, development practitioners, and sector experts reflected on pathways for rural transformation in India.

Dr Nilanjan Ghosh, Vice President, Development Studies, ORF, underscored the importance of context-driven progress, stating that “True progress is context-driven, rooted in resilience, inclusion and sustainability. When institutions evolve, communities find agency, and stakeholders work together through integrated action, we move beyond poverty alleviation towards creating self-reliant ecosystems that are robust, replicable and built for long-term change.”

Mr Sudarshan Suchi, Chief Development Officer, Reliance Foundation, highlighted the role of community ownership and collaboration. “An Atmanirbhar Gaon is built when communities find their voice, strengthen local institutions, and come together to co-create solutions. Through collaboration, resilience, and collective action, Reliance Foundation aims to bring people together and continuously raise the bar for self-reliance.”

Emphasising institutional strength and technology-led transformation, Mr Abhinav Sen, Head, Rural Transformation Programme, Reliance Foundation, said, “Through convergence, community participation, and the power of data and AI, Gram Panchayats can be enabled to strengthen local governance, helping create resilient, inclusive and future-ready villages.”

The round table explored actionable pathways, and the wider implications for India’s rural development policy and future practice, examining the lessons from public programmes, CSR initiatives, and community-based institutions. Participants emphasised the need for stronger institutional capacities, enhanced participation of women and youth, and a greater focus on environmental stewardship, alongside responsible use of digital technologies.

The roundtable aimed to build a shared commitment to rural institutions, enhance livelihoods and enable resilient, self-reliant villages – leading to a strong, vibrant ‘Aatmanirbhar Gaon’ movement across India.

Over the past few decades, rural India is witnessing a complex journey of progress and persistence, with meaningful improvements in livelihoods, infrastructure, and social protection creating new opportunities for communities. Government flagship programmes, interventions from development organisations and foundations, and stronger community engagement have expanded access to income support, essential services, and financial inclusion. Across many regions, these efforts are helping strengthen resilience, improve well-being, and create pathways for more inclusive and sustainable growth.

It is within this context that Reliance Foundation’s Rural Transformation Programme has worked to build sustainable, community-led pathways for development. Beginning in 2010–11 across 560 villages and later expanding to nearly 3,000 villages across multiple states, the programme has focused on strengthening water security, improving agricultural productivity, building farmer collectives, and enabling convergence with public systems and Gram Panchayats.

This publication, developed in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), examines the long-term impact of these interventions across four clusters — Balangir (Odisha), Mandla (Madhya Pradesh), Adoni (Andhra Pradesh), and Radhanpur (Gujarat). Combining detailed cluster narratives with an analytical assessment of 2,141 households, the study explores how integrated, community-led interventions centred on water security, sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and strong local institutions can drive meaningful improvements in rural well-being.

These findings reinforce the pathway towards Atmanirbhar Gaon, where empowered communities and institution-led development create self-reliant, inclusive, and resilient rural ecosystems.

Partnerships are at the heart of lasting and meaningful change. When organisations, institutions and communities come together with a shared purpose, they create solutions that are stronger, more relevant and sustainable. Across its rural development journey, Reliance Foundation has worked closely with government departments, civil society organisations, NGOs, research institutions and technical experts, each contributing unique knowledge, experience and deep community connections.

This publication celebrates that spirit of collaboration by bringing together reflections, experiences and best practices from Reliance Foundation’s Rural Transformation programme partners. It acknowledges the invaluable role played by every stakeholder in driving impact and highlights insights from over 40 partners who have been part of this shared journey of transformation.

As India moves towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat and communities become more aatmanirbhar and resilient, Reliance Foundation remains committed to strengthening partnerships, learning together and expanding the reach of collective action. The journey so far has been deeply fulfilling, and the road ahead promises even greater possibilities for inclusive and sustainable development.

This publication celebrates a 15-year milestone of transformative change and empowerment in rural communities across India. A Journey of Change and Growth in Rural India brings together 15 inspiring stories of individuals and communities who chose to challenge the status quo and take charge of their futures. These are narratives of resilience, innovation, and the determination of people who moved from being shaped by their circumstances to actively shaping them.

Since its inception, Reliance Foundation has dedicated its efforts to strengthening rural India, transforming over 2.16 crore lives and reaching more than 90,600 villages with the support of 796 partners. From securing water access in Kasideheriya to fostering digital empowerment for women like Muthulakshmi, and guiding fishing communities toward sustainable practices, these collective efforts demonstrate the profound impact of building upon the strengths and capabilities of the people themselves. As highlighted in the RT Cover Brochure digital.pdf, true development means enabling every household through resilient farming, education, and economic opportunity.

Across various themes — ranging from climate resilience and local governance to integrated value chains and women's leadership—this publication highlights stories that reflect the immense diversity and complexity of development challenges. It recognises the grassroots leaders and communities who unite to build self-reliant villages, reinforcing a deeper truth: a thriving nation begins with empowered, independent communities. These 15 stories reflect the heartbeat of change, standing as a testament to a long-term commitment to restoring hope, fostering dignity, and shaping a vibrant, self-sufficient future for rural India.

• 33,000+ community volunteers clean 1400+ water bodies since launch on World Water Day 2026
• Initiated in 108 districts across 15 states and 1 Union Territory
• #Water4Life aims to be a sustained, widespread mission for water bodies, including lake shores, beaches, river banks and ponds
• Civil society organisations, community volunteers, and partners join the drive

Mumbai, April 2, 2026: Over 33,000 enthusiastic volunteers from across India, united by a common cause, have joined #Water4Life – a nationwide campaign initiated by Reliance Foundation in connection with World Water Day 2026. Aimed to be a continued effort, the campaign will protect, restore, and sustain India’s water ecosystems.

Over the past 10 days, Reliance Foundation has led community volunteering efforts in over 1,400 waterbody locations across 912 villages. On-ground clean-up actions were combined with long-term water governance and community ownership, engaging farmers, women’s groups, youth, local institutions, Reliance employee volunteers, healthcare providers and more.

The #Water4Life campaign builds on years of Reliance Foundation’s Rural Transformation work across 91,000+ villages, where water has long supported rural livelihoods. To date, Reliance Foundation’s water conservation efforts have resulted in harvesting 2,000+ lakh cubic metres of water, enriching the lives of millions of rural communities. The campaign aims to be a long-term, participatory movement contributing to national water security.

#Water4Life included pre-Water Day awareness actions with participatory engagement of government structures and local institutions with an easy-to-replicate approach, including community mobilisation, volunteerism, awareness on waste reduction and water literacy.

Over the past few days, volunteers have removed plastic and solid waste, with segregation and safe disposal, restoring inlet and outlet channels to improve water flow. They also enabled collective action for soil and water conservation in collaboration with local institutions and the government.

Across 108 districts in 15 states and 1 Union Territory, over 85,000 kg of waste was collected. Some prominent locations that were part of efforts over the past few days included the Narmada river ghats, Dipeswar Talab in the heart of Pratapgarh, Kulbehra tributary of the Godavari basin, Kochi Beach, Rankala Lake and more.

People from all walks of life came together. In southern Kerala, for instance, fishing communities and municipal sanitation workers helped clean the historic Kochi Beach in Ernakulam district. In Belagavi, Karnataka, school children came together to demonstrate early ownership of water conservation, while in Sangli, Maharashtra, health workers initiated cleaning the ghats of the Swami Samarth stream, a tributary of the Krishna River.

A key role is being played by 2,500 Village Climate Champions, trained by Reliance Foundation to spread awareness and encourage local action on water and waste management. Moving ahead, this community-driven movement aims to ensure that water bodies are cared for, protected and restored in the long term.

Individuals at the grassroots have been a vital part of the support system for mitigation and response efforts during disasters in India. These individuals are developing the capacities and leading efforts to drive disaster management and resilience in their communities. ‘Stronger Together’: A compendium of stories of courage & resilience during disasters, prepared by Reliance Foundation and Sphere India, captures best practices by individuals at the grassroot level for mitigation, preparedness, and response to various disasters in India. It will serve as a powerful source of inspiration for others to learn and draw strength, enabling them to better prepare for and respond to disasters in India.

Climate change is unequivocal and must be tackled as a national priority in order to enhance climate resilience in Indian villages. Rural communities especially face the brunt of these conditions as it creates stress on natural systems especially on water resources. Excess or scarce rainfall, droughts, land degradation, diminished agriculture production or drying up of water resources all constitute risks faced by agrarian producers as a result of climate change. These risks are compounded by poor farming conditions, increased input costs, inefficient land use and falling incomes among other factors.

The Rural Transformation BIJ (Bharat-India Jodo) programme of Reliance Foundation is working in more than 5,000 villages to achieve climate resilience and empower communities to enhance their adaptive capacities against the impact of climate change. It endeavors to do so through sustainable management of natural resources, augmenting water supply for both livelihood and drinking water purposes, and promoting climate-smart agriculture practices. These objectives align with the goals of National Action Plan for Climate Change and State Action Plan for Climate Change to address challenges, assess vulnerable areas and develop climate action strategies. In particular, these interventions also align with Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 13 that deal with sustainable management of water and climate action respectively. These synergies enable adaptive responses to climate change and provide a holistic approach to increasing resilience at the community level.

Interventions

Enhancing Drinking water accessibility in villages

Water resource management is one of the pivotal aspects of Reliance Foundation BIJ intervention towards creating climate resilience. In many cases, even the basic necessity of drinking water is not met due to lack of accessible sources. This can compromise with both health and hygiene outcomes as well as affect productivity in agricultural and other livelihood activities. Vulnerability to climate-related disruptions increases without access to adequate infrastructure for storage and distribution. The BIJ programme seeks to minimise these risks by mobilising rural communities to identify these gaps in their water management systems and supports them with the appropriate mechanism to do so.

Grey Water Management

Incorporating grey water management strategies into village infrastructure is not only an effective means of addressing water-related challenges exacerbated by climate change but also a proactive step toward building the resilience needed to navigate an increasingly unpredictable climate future.

Soil and Moisture Conservation

Soil and moisture conservation is a key aspect of natural resource management at the local level. Reliance Foundation BIJ promotes these practices to contribute to improving water availability, preventing run-off, supporting sustainable agriculture, promoting biodiversity to enhance capacity of ecosystems and communities.

Climate Smart Agriculture Practices

It is important that agriculture should be resilient to climatic risks as well as increase production to meet increasing food demands. The Rural Transformation BIJ interventions seek to integrate agronomic interventions with climate smart practices and farmers’ traditional knowledge at local level to ensure that crops can withstand the challenges of changing climatic conditions, ensure consistent agricultural production, protect livelihoods and contribute to sustainability.

• Capacity building: Providing farmers with knowledge about climate change impacts and adaptation strategies empowers them to make informed decisions. Here farmers are working on crop cutting experiments, practices that will contribute to increase crop yields.
• Diversification of crops: Planting a variety of crops that have different climate tolerances and growth patterns helps spread risk. If one crop fails due to adverse conditions, others may still thrive, reducing the vulnerability of the entire system.
• Mechanisation of farm operations contributes to climate-smart agriculture by optimizing resource use, enhancing soil and water management and bolstering agricultural productivity in the face of climate variability.
• Incorporating biofortified varieties of crops and better seed varieties promotes crop production better able to withstand local climatic changes with enhanced disease and pest resistance.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations marked International Women’s Day in 2023 by emphasizing the importance of giving women in agriculture access to digital technologies.

In September 2023, the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Declaration committed to invest in inclusive, sustainable and resilient agriculture, and to promote innovation for agricultural value chains and systems by and for women farmers.

Both events signal the growing realisation that the Sustainable Development Goals of Ending Poverty (SDG1) and Zero Hunger (SDG2) are going to require empowered women agriculturists.

How Important are Women Farmers to Rural Development?

In developing countries, women make up on average 43 percent of agricultural labour, and almost 50 percent in Eastern and South-eastern Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.

In India, women are a significant part of the agriculture sector but tend not to own the land they cultivate. In 2021-22, 62.9 percent of women workers (and 75.9 percent of rural women workers) were engaged in agriculture but only 14% had land holdings.

Growth in the agriculture sector is two to four times more effective in raising incomes among the poorest compared to other sectors, and growth in small-scale agriculture is more effective at reducing hunger and poverty than any other sector.

Although we know that empowering farmers, and particularly women farmers, is an important way to address poverty, recent Indian agricultural growth has been weak. According to the Economic Survey Report 2022-23, it fell to 3 per cent in 2021-22 and was 3.3 per cent in 2020-21. In comparison, industrial production grew 10.3% in 2020-21 and by 4.1 percent in 2021-22. India’s agricultural sector is growing slower relative to other sectors.

Increasing agricultural productivity is crucial to sustainable development but the reality is that, lacking land ownership, and with lower rates of literacy and limited access to digital tools, women need very different support and training to men.

How Does Digital Technology Help Women Farmers Increase Agricultural Productivity?

There is a particularly acute digital gender gap in India, particularly in rural areas. Even simple additions of technological solutions, such as access to information in one’s native language, can show remarkable effects.

Individuals using the Internet, by gender

(Selected Asian economics)

Data source: International Telecommunication Union, 2021

Graphic source: Observer Research Foundation

In Gujarat, the women-led Bhungroo water management system has helped more than 18,000 marginal farmers. Drought and water-logging dominates the lives of the underprivileged women farmers of the region. Bhungroo is a technology that stores excess rainfall underground and can retrieve it when water is scarce. It’s estimated that longer growing seasons have increased the typical family’s annual income from US$210 to US$700.

Solidaridad Regional Expertise Centre engages with women dairy farmers to increase their digital access and digital literacy. Women play a significant role in dairy farming and do a large amount of the labour involved, however, due to lack of resources or digital literacy, they are often excluded from formal supply chains. Solidaridad disseminated best practices, collaborated with experts to facilitate knowledge-building for these women, and also trained them on financial literacy.

Solidaridad Facilitating Women Dairy Farmers in Uttar Pradesh

An important part of the problem is to understand that there are gendered differences in agriculture at the grassroots. Digital Farm School (DFS) is a Reliance Foundation programme which has been working to empower farmers, and address women farmers’ issues.

What is a Digital Farm School?

Digital Farm Schools are education platforms that build on the concept of the Farm Field School (which has been implemented by the FAO in several countries). Digital Farm Schools also incorporate ‘phygital’ (physical plus digital) modes and connect groups of farmers. Students gain livelihood, resilience, and improvement information from each other as well as from experts. Crucially, communication is with those who work on the farmland, and not just the owner.

Reliance Foundation’s five-year DFS initiative began in 2022-23. It is present across 15 states in India, with mostly small and marginal farmers who farm nine crops that are of importance to improve the country’s food security and national income.

The DFS communicates with farmers throughout the crop cycle, collating their queries and needs, and uses this feedback to increase their access to information through multiple communication platforms, such as voice message services, text messaging, WhatsApp groups, and physical interactions.

The use of digital modes reduces the time required to engage with the platform, as well as the cost involved, as a large part of it happens over phones, which most of the beneficiaries already have access to.

Digital Farm Schools and the Needs of Women Farmers

Throughout the geographical locations it works in, the DFS also engages with women agriculturists. The ease of access and flexibility works for women farmers. For instance, there are image and video advisories for those who have limited literacy.

One success story comes from the Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh. The women of the Baiga tribe are largely dependent on agricultural income and daily wage labour and have less access to information than their male counterparts. In order to engage with them, the DFS programme first made contact through the Self Help Group (SHG) in Boda village. The SHG communicated specific pain points they faced, such as increasing pestilence and crop disease.

Women in the DFS Programme from Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh

151 women from 13 villages were engaged. These women received Reliance Foundation Information Services advisories and came together through a WhatsApp group. They also interacted with experts through multi-location Audio Conferences, which they could attend from their own homes.

Women Farmers and Their Micro-Enterprises

In the areas where DFS has been established, 62 percent of the households of farmers engaged in the programme own livestock and other micro-enterprises for additional income. While farming is considered the most important part of their livelihood, micro-enterprises are a significant part of their livelihood.

Management of these micro-enterprises is mainly in the hands of women. The DFS initiative engages with women specifically in these areas, providing information on kitchen gardens, livestock management, and so on.

India is the world’s largest millet producer and its average production of 16.93 million metric tons during 2019-22 was about 11% higher than the production during 2014-18. Though productivity has markedly increased over the years, the area under millet cultivation has significantly reduced.

Having observed 2018 as its ‘National Year of Millets’, India presented the proposal for the ‘International Year of Millets’ (IYOM) in the United Nations. At the 75th General Assembly session of the UN in March 2021, the year 2023 was declared IYOM to increase global awareness of the benefits of consuming and growing millets.

Since 2010, Reliance Foundation has been focusing on sustainable agriculture and strengthening of food systems through a collaborative approach with various stakeholders. The work with millet small and marginal farmers is another step to build resilience in the face of changing climate while enhancing the nutritional status of communities.

On December 19, 2023, diverse stakeholders from across India’s millet landscape called for sustaining the momentum generated during the International Year of Millets 2023 (IYOM) at a roundtable discussion organised by Reliance Foundation.

The discussion saw policymakers, farmer representatives, development sector stakeholders, researchers and industry representatives echo the need for greater collaboration, increased farmer-focused efforts, and deliberated successes and challenges from both practice and policy within India’s millet landscape.

A publication, ‘Fostering Resilience for Sustainability: Reliance Foundation's Millet Experiences’, that documents learnings from millet interventions in different states was released on the occasion. Fostering Resilience for Sustainability showcases end-to-end interventions that include making quality seed accessible to farmers, providing continued technical support, strengthening market linkages, empowering women’s agency and building awareness of millets.

India is the world’s largest millet producer and its average production of 16.93 million metric tons during 2019-22 was about 11% higher than the production during 2014-18. Though productivity has markedly increased over the years, the area under millet cultivation has significantly reduced.

Having observed 2018 as its ‘National Year of Millets’, India presented the proposal for the ‘International Year of Millets’ (IYOM) in the United Nations. At the 75th General Assembly session of the UN in March 2021, the year 2023 was declared IYOM to increase global awareness of the benefits of consuming and growing millets.

Since 2010, Reliance Foundation has been focusing on sustainable agriculture and strengthening of food systems through a collaborative approach with various stakeholders. The work with millet small and marginal farmers is another step to build resilience in the face of changing climate while enhancing the nutritional status of communities.

On December 19, 2023, diverse stakeholders from across India’s millet landscape called for sustaining the momentum generated during the International Year of Millets 2023 (IYOM) at a roundtable discussion organised by Reliance Foundation.

The discussion saw policymakers, farmer representatives, development sector stakeholders, researchers and industry representatives echo the need for greater collaboration, increased farmer-focused efforts, and deliberated successes and challenges from both practice and policy within India’s millet landscape.

A publication, ‘Fostering Resilience for Sustainability: Reliance Foundation's Millet Experiences’, that documents learnings from millet interventions in different states was released on the occasion. Fostering Resilience for Sustainability showcases end-to-end interventions that include making quality seed accessible to farmers, providing continued technical support, strengthening market linkages, empowering women’s agency and building awareness of millets.