DCM Shriram Foundation and The/Nudge Institute, in partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, announced EF Polymer as the winner of the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge.

EF Polymer was awarded Rs. 2 crore for its pioneering solutions to enhance water-use efficiency and boost agricultural productivity for India’s smallholder farmers at a grand finale event graced by chief guest Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa and Former CEO of NITI Aayog.

CultYvate, an agri-tech platform by Farm2Fork Technologies, also received special recognition and was awarded Rs. 25 lakhs for its contributions to developing smart irrigation systems that simplify irrigation and provide farmers with advisory for effective decision-making.

Launched in June 2023, the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge was designed with the goal to drive water efficiency, productivity, and profitability for 1 million smallholder farmers in India, focusing on four major water-intensive crops- sugarcane, wheat, paddy and cotton. It received 134 applications, of which 16 AgTech organizations were selected for the cohort, driving innovations across irrigation, BioAg inputs, advisory services, and more. Post evaluation, four finalists were identified for their breakthrough potential: EF Polymer, CultYvate, IndusTill, and PhyFarm.

India is facing a severe water crisis, with per capita water availability dropping below 1,486 cubic meters—well under the 1,700 cubic meter threshold for water stress. Agriculture, which consumes 78% of India’s freshwater, is a key driver, with 62% of its water coming from rapidly depleting groundwater. At the current rate, India will have only 50% of its water needs by 2030, threatening 600 million farmers.

The DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge demonstrates the potential of AgWaterTech organizations to build scalable, high-impact solutions for water-intensive crops like rice, wheat, sugarcane, and cotton, which are crucial to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers facing escalating water stress and climate-related challenges.

Ajay S Shriram, Chairman & Sr Managing Director, DCM Shriram Ltd and Director, DCM Shriram Foundation added, “Water is the most critical resource for agriculture. Against the backdrop of the nation’s severe water crisis, this challenge forms a crucial mission to find and scale holistic, modern solutions to make water use more efficient for smallholder farmers. We congratulate the winner, along with the other finalists, for their pioneering work – and look forward to watching these solutions continue to scale and transform the lives of millions of farmers around the nation.”

Kanishka Chatterjee, Director, The/Nudge Prize said, “When we launched this Prize - the AgWater Challenge, we faced a complex question about groundwater depletion and smallholder incomes. Despite hurdles like free water access and fragmented decision-making, fourteen organizations showed exceptional grit tackling this high-impact problem. I'm deeply proud that all four finalists have set the foundation for an AgWater inflection point in India. Their commitment birthed India's first AgWater ecosystem, bringing together experts, investors, and enablers with genuine urgency. They've proven technological solutions can be both accessible and transformative for smallholders. The path remains complex, but we've shown innovative, scalable solutions are within reach. We should only go above and beyond from here.”