Research
Welcome to WELL Labs’ knowledge repository. As a futures institute enabling research-based solutions and impact, we prioritise making our insights accessible to social innovators, researchers, allied communities and the layperson.
Challenges and Opportunities for Catalysing Corporate Water Stewardship in India’s River Basins
Given the push for investments in the water sustainability space, businesses need to be better informed about where the big problems lie so that projects can be properly planned and executed. But there’s a data gap. Our comprehensive study of three important river basins — Cauvery, Ganga and Krishna — aims to address this gap.
Farmer Responses to Solar Irrigation in India: Agent-Based Modelling to Understand Sustainable Transitions
We applied an agent-based modeling (ABM) approach to understand farmer choices and transitions before and after solar irrigation in six districts
Landscape Review: Innovation Gaps in India’s Agritech Startup Ecosystem
Through this landscape review, we take a closer look at agritech startups to identify how to secure the livelihoods of farmers while simultaneously addressing environmental concerns
Phosphorus Balance Study at Jakkur Lake
We conducted a phosphorus balance study to understand the sources and sinks of phosphorus in Jakkur lake
Challenges and Opportunities in Residential Decentralised Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in Bengaluru
We explore the potential of decentralised sewage treatment plants, which are being promoted in cities like Bengaluru, to treat sewage at the source of generation
Net Water Positivity in the Indian Context: A Framework for Exploring Industrial Pathways to Water Sustainability
We explore how to bring aquifers back into balance by increasing recharge and reducing abstraction. We also make the case for a system of water credits to effectively drive collective action.
How Do We Manage Nutrient Levels in Urban Lakes?
This article is the sixth in a multi-part series on lakes that aims to provide a comprehensive overview of lake related problems in Bangalore and approaches to address them. This article discusses how lake nutrients, specifically phosphorus, can be managed.
Insights from a Review of Water Security Plans
Water security plans (WSPs), which describe the current state of water challenges in the region under study and the interventions planned, are an important component of rural water security programmes. Based on our review, we argue that WSPs need to be more streamlined and must shift focus towards using water more efficiently (demand-side water management) and equitably.
Pathways for Building Climate Resilient Cities
Many Indian cities are already vulnerable to climate change. The financial damage from extreme events, like floods, heat, and drought is likely to be staggering. The urban poor will bear much of the burden. But, cities also hold the key to altering this trajectory. This report explores pathways to build climate-resilient cities through the integration of blue, grey and green infrastructure.
Pain Points on a Rocky Road: Journey Mapping Challenges CSOs Face with Interventions for Small & Marginal Farmers
This report details the ‘pain points’ or challenges CSOs face as they attempt to intervene at different stages in the farming process. This is based on fieldwork we carried out in four states – Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.