Water to Wealth: Planning, Design & Management of Small Irrigation Systems at Azim Premji University

About the Programme

Water to Wealth: Planning, Design and Management of Small Irrigation Systems is an 8-day residential course for people working in India's rainfed regions, home to many smallholder and tribal farmers. These areas get plenty of seasonal rain, but water is poorly captured, stored, and shared out once the monsoon ends, leaving farming exposed to dry spells. Civil society organisations in these regions often build water-harvesting structures, but may not have the technical or institutional know-how to judge irrigation potential, design systems properly, access government support, or set up irrigation management that communities can run themselves. This course is built to close that gap.

Eligibility

• Project managers and frontline staff who guide natural resource management and irrigation projects in rural areas.
• More than three years of experience in community-managed small irrigation, natural resource management, or other water resource development work.
• Working knowledge of Hindi and English, and basic arithmetic skills.
• Selection is based on the application and the applicant's profile.

Curriculum Overview

• Day 1, a critical look at irrigation in rainfed areas: context, how irrigation has evolved, livelihood systems, and water budgeting.
• Day 2, landscape assessment and choosing the right irrigation system: hydraulics, site assessment, and field measurements.
• Day 3, engineering design: lift irrigation, diversion-based irrigation, earthen tank systems, and cost estimation.
• Day 4, field immersion: on-site surveys, assessing the command area, looking at technical components, and talking to operators and Water User Associations.
• Day 5, an integrated design studio: a hands-on design exercise using the field data collected, with cross-learning and presentations.
• Day 6, construction, commissioning, and operations and maintenance for lift, diversion, and tank systems, including troubleshooting.
• Day 7, social, institutional, and sustainability aspects: inclusion, governance, and financial sustainability.
• Day 8, project preparation and assessment: writing an irrigation project proposal, review, and closing action plans.

Programme Highlights

• Mix of lectures, discussions, small group work, videos, hands-on exercises, case stories, and exposure visits.
• Taught in a mix of English and Hindi, with course materials in English.
• Faculty combine Azim Premji University practitioners with decades of rural development experience, plus additional facilitators and resource persons from across India.
• A Certificate of Participation is given to those who attend all days and submit their assignments.

Fees & Financial Aid

• INR 11,505 (including GST) for individuals from non-partner organisations.
• INR 1,770 (including GST) for individuals from Azim Premji Foundation's partner organisations, including Field Practice Partners of Azim Premji University.
• Accommodation and food are provided by the University.