Paani Foundation

Remember watching ‘Ek Anek Ekta’ on Doordarshan? It had a song called “Ek Chidiya Anek Chidiya”. I fondly remember the excitement of watching the animation every Sunday. United we stand, divided we fall - this was the message that stuck with me. Recently, I experienced the power of unity during Paani Foundation’s Farmer Cup event. Paani Foundation is a non-profit with a mission to make Maharashtra drought-free, started by Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao in 2016. Farmer Cup is an annual competition where farmers have to work as a collective and increase crop yields focusing on productivity and profitability through organic farming. During the award ceremony, I watched how each group overcame a unique challenge. Not on their own, but as a unit. One was a women-only team, where one of them proudly shared how she learnt how to drive a tractor herself instead of depending on a man. Another farmer group struggled due to its dependency on rain, a neighboring group stepped in and laid pipelines. It gave me goosebumps. My eyes welled up. At its core, every story celebrated the spirit of unity. Paani Foundation supports smallholder farmers on one simple condition: "Stay united." We often like talking about systems, frameworks and processes. But none of it matters unless people are aligned towards a common goal. We tend to overlook the strength of something as simple as unity, while seeking out complex ways to solve problems. What I saw at the Farmer Cup was testimony to the fact that when people come together, solutions naturally emerge. I came back truly inspired and completely infused with hope. A big shout-out to Paani Foundation for reviving the importance of forgotten human values like unity and enabling our farmers to achieve remarkable results. #Unity #FarmersOfIndia

Yuva Unstoppable has a powerful message to share, straight from the hearts of the children: they believe in the transformative power of the SDG curriculum, seeing it as a guiding light towards becoming better individuals and shaping a brighter future for our world. To the young minds out there, embrace this journey of learning and growth with enthusiasm and determination. Remember, each small step towards understanding and embodying the Sustainable Development Goals can create ripples of positive change that resonate far and wide. Stay curious, stay engaged, and never underestimate the impact you can make. A heartfelt thank you to Paani Foundation for their support and dedication to this cause. Together, let's continue to inspire and uplift each other towards a more sustainable and compassionate world.

Hear from Paani Foundation's Mr. Satyajit Bhatkal about our event on May 10, 2024 on "Water Stewardship: Managing Water Resources for Sustainable Agriculture".

Hello Everyone! Recently I attended an inspiring #FarmersCup training program at Yatri Nivas, #Sevagram, #Wardha organized by #PaaniFoundation It was a transformative experience of learning about sustainable farming practices and the power of group farming to reduce costs and boost production in agriculture. The Pani Foundation team facilitated the training exceptionally well. Their humility and kind gestures toward the community truly touched my heart. The training was so well designed that it turned negative mindsets into positive ones, empowering participants to form groups and continue their collaboration once back in their villages. The entire session flowed seamlessly without the need for clocks or alarms, a testament to the team's excellent time management skills. A heartfelt thank you to Pani Foundation and Mission Samriddhi for this enlightening opportunity to deepen my understanding of agriculture and training facilitation. Looking forward to applying these insights and contributing further to sustainable practices in our communities. A big Shoutout to all the Trainers and management team. Paani Foundation Mission Samriddhi #Agriculture #SustainableFarming #CommunityDevelopment #PaniFoundation #MissionSamriddhi #Learning #Farming #climatechange #sdg

What if we made regeneration a competition? That's how the biggest permaculture project in the world was created. For four years, thousands of villages in Maharashtra, India competed annually in a soil and water conservation contest called "The Water Cup", hosted by the Paani Foundation. The villages were given watershed management training by the foundation and then were challenged to redesigning and transforming their local landscapes together. At the root of this competition was "shramadaan", which means voluntary contribution. Each member of the community volunteered their time and energy for the greater good of the whole and to the regeneration of their local watershed, for which they all depend. Maharashtra is one of the most drought prone regions in India, so the competition was more akin to life and death than a mere competition. But the competition allowed for the community to contribute to the water crisis as one and solve it together. The work was completed in just 45 days before the monsoon rains to try to capture as much water as possible in contour lines, storage lakes and a variety of other earthworks. Over the four years, the results were astounding. Mere words cannot describe the transformation that occurred for the villages who participated, so I invite you to watch the videos in the comments to see for your self the power of local collaboration in coming together to regenerate landscapes. To quote one of the villagers who won the 2016 Water Cup. "Last year at this time, there wasn't a drop of water. Even sparrows could't find water to drink. Now this year there is greenery and water everywhere." - Navnath Bhosle Regeneration is possible, but it's going to take everyone. #soilhealth #sustainableagriculture #farming #agriculture #organicfarming #regenerativeagriculture #farm #water #permaculture #conservation #drought #ecology

Growing up as a farmer’s son I was aware of the misery and poverty that shadowed the life of a farmer. 👉 Not a profession out of choice. 👉Lack of education opportunities to farmer’s children 👉Debts to money lenders 👉Not respected, not awarded, nothing to look up to  👉Lack of basic healthcare support 👉Use of toxins, chemicals, and unsustainable farming methods 👉Effects of climate change These factors are nothing but an inevitable reality for every single farmer in Maharashtra. They form a heavy burden on small farmers and their families. Today, as a farmer, I feel blessed to experience the profound connection with Mother Earth and feel the magic of healthy soil beneath my fingertips. My journey goes beyond financial gains; it's about nurturing and honouring the land that sustains me. But why am I sharing all this with you? We as TBOF - had the  privilege of presenting awards to the top farmer groups at the Farmer Cup Awards, an event hosted by the Paani Foundation. It was an exciting day for us, at Two Brothers Organic Farms® and Satyajit Hange The Kumbhargao Shetkari Gat, our associated farmer group in Khumbargaon district won the first prize worth ₹15 lakhs, at the Farmer’s Cup award ceremony organized by Paani foundation. Their organic techniques of farming, especially the ones carried out in drought-prone areas, were publicly acknowledged and applauded. When we first collaborated with Paani Foundation in 2021, I knew it was one step forward towards making a difference. The Farmer Cup empowers groups of farmers to transition towards safer, chemical-free farming practices. It was truly an honour to shared the stage with Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao to  recognize and celebrate the hard work and dedication of these farmers who are committed to producing safer, chemical-free crops. We also got the opportunity to share the platform with eminent figures from the agricultural sector, including the vice chancellor of Maharashtra's largest agricultural university, government agri departments, farm entrepreneurs, and celebrities like Jackie Shroff, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Sonalee Kulkarni, and others. Witnessing the incredible impact of the Paani Foundation never fails to fill me with inspiration and warmth. I feel proud to support them in their efforts to uplift and empower farmers across India. Community building is at the heart of TBOF.  Supporting and uplifting these farmers was a humbling experience for us and I am glad we were able to contribute to such a noble cause. 🙏 Come, let's cultivate a brighter tomorrow for our farming communities and sow the seeds of sustainability together! Cheers !! Ajinkya H.

When Passionpreneur met Farmerprenur and Paani Team! I grew up watching his work on big screen #AamirKhan My all time favorite actor on screen, Aamir Khan but after this meeting he has become my favorite offscreen person as well! It was humbling to receive an invitation from Aamir Khan and Paani Foundation to attend their event called Farmers Cup! Let me tell you why I am so impressed by this legend let’s first talk about Paani Foundation that was founded by him, Kiran Rao and CEO Satyajit Bhatkal Did you know that Paani Foundation awarded the farmers who have done well in various crops categories in Maharashtra? Did you know that in the last 8+ years Paani foundation has impacted 40K+ farmers by providing them with education, resources and support to be able to produce more? Did you know that they have 550+ billion liters of annual water storage capacity created? Did you know that they have a unit called Farmerpreneur to teach farmers on how to scale their farming business? I was blown with the happy faces of 3000+ farmers who attended this event I am excited to see how I can contribute to their mission! I have seen so many award functions like Awards for Actors, Sports and Entertainment but none comes close to this award function Because Farmers (as well as soldiers & entrepreneurs) are the real heroes of our society The amount of work Aamir, Kiran Rao and Satyajit Bhatkal and who Paani team has done blew my mind I will share a reel with more insights and visuals! I also met so many amazing people including actors, producers and directors. Stay tuned for more! Hats off to Paani Team & thank you for having me there! Special thanks to my brother Amitabh shah for inviting! #PaaniFoundation #KiranRao #DevGadhvi #Passionpreneur #FarmerPreneur

Remember the popular TV show 'Satyamev Jayate'? In 2012, it got 1 billion digital impressions, taking the country by storm. The show brought out social issues and created a debate among the public. With the quality of programs we are served today, I look back at Satyamev Jayate as one of the best shows that aired on Indian television. Did you know that like many of us, Satyamev Jayate had a deep impact on Aamir Khan too? Before every episode, the team of Satyamev Jayate would research a pressing social issue that needed attention. Aamir was shocked by some of the stories that came forward. But unlike most celebrities, he decided to take action. In 2016, Aamir and Kiran Rao launched the Paani Foundation - a non-profit with a mission to make Maharashtra drought-free. Paani Foundation is unique because it is solving a problem not by handouts, but by making the farmers own their problems and solve them with collective action. Today, the Government of Maharashtra has partnered with Paani Foundation to make 73% severely affected part of Maharashtra drought-free. Aamir is an example of how one can use their influence to build a legacy that lives long after they are gone. So today I introduce you to Aamir Khan - a 59 yr old social entrepreneur who also happens to be India’s celebrated actor. #SocialEntrepreneurship #UsingInfluenceForGood