Coromandel International and IICARE Foundation Partner for Landscape Restoration in Maharashtra

IICARE Foundation: Coromandel International Limited and the IICARE Foundation have officially entered into a strategic partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to drive ecological restoration in the Jawali region of Maharashtra. This collaborative effort focuses on implementing the “Jawali Integrated Watershed, Agro-Forestry, Nursery and Landscape Restoration Programme” in the Phaltan taluka of Satara district. By merging ecological restoration with sustainable agricultural practices, the initiative aims to build a scalable and scientifically backed model for landscape management that directly benefits local rural communities.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Restoration:
The program adopts a holistic, “nursery-first” and “pilot-to-scale” framework, ensuring that all interventions are grounded in environmental data. Key activities include:

Landscape Management: Integrating watershed development, native afforestation, and agro-forestry to create a unified ecological framework.

Scientific Monitoring: Emphasizing groundwater recharge, soil health improvements, and the use of native, mixed-species plantations.

Phased Execution: The project will begin with comprehensive site validation, contour studies, and soil assessments before moving into the establishment of nurseries and the construction of conservation structures.

Defining Strategic Responsibilities:
To ensure the success of the initiative, the two organizations have divided their roles to leverage their respective areas of expertise. IICARE Foundation will act as the primary implementation partner, facilitating coordination among farmer groups, government bodies, and local stakeholders. Simultaneously, Coromandel International will provide critical technical and strategic support, offering guidance on agronomy, nutrient management, crop suitability, and watershed interventions to ensure the project meets its long-term objectives.

Measuring Success and Future Scalability:
The impact of the Jawali programme will be evaluated through a set of rigorous key performance indicators (KPIs). These include measuring the total area restored, sapling survival rates, species diversity, and water conservation outcomes, alongside tracking farmer participation and soil health parameters. Both Mr. Narayanan Vellayan of Coromandel and Dr. Santosh Bhosale of IICARE have emphasized that the ultimate goal is to establish a credible, practical, and highly replicable model that can be implemented in other regions facing similar challenges of land degradation and climate-related instability.