Farmers that may otherwise be affected by dwindling groundwater are diversifying their income base with the help of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)’s Solar Power as a Remunerative Crop initiative. Instead of using their thermal-powered groundwater pumps to overstress water resources, farmers are now able to use solar panels to sell power back to the grid. This discourages over-pumping of scarce groundwater supplies while also giving farmers a new stream of revenue that isn’t water-dependent.
As long as water is mismanaged, those who are poor, sick or disadvantaged will bear the brunt that mismanagement. But, as these examples show, if we take the necessary actions, water can also be harnessed to leave no one behind.