The India Natural Resource Economics and Management (INREM) Foundation is an autonomous, non-profit, non-governmental organisation set up in 1994 with a grant from Winrock International with funding from Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. The Foundation is committed to promoting better teaching, training, and research in natural resource economics with a view to improve natural resources and environment policy and management in India. It undertakes problem-solving, action-oriented, multidisciplinary research aimed at generating new knowledge in the area of management of natural resources and environment. It has already conducted a number of training programmes and research studies in the areas of watershed management, social forestry and integrated water resources management in Sabarmati river basin. The Foundation was registered on April 16, 1994 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 bearing No. GUJ/4365/Ahmedabad dated 16.04.1994 and the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950 bearing No. GUJ/4226/Ahmedabad dated 16.04.1994.

  GENESIS

Over the 1990-92 period, several workshops and discussions were held in Hyderabad, Solan, Bangalore, New Delhi and other locations in the field of natural resource economics under the joint auspices of the Ford Foundation, Winrock International, Yale University and ICRISAT. It became increasingly clear that natural resource economics, if problem driven, could be an important aid for policy makers and resource managers. India had a small cohort of resource economists. However, there was little tradition in this area and few solid links with political and agency leaders or managers in either the public or private sector. The need to bridge these gaps was compelling enough to attract funding from the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations and collaboration by ICRISAT, Winrock International, and Yale University.

        Accordingly, a programme called India Natural Resource Economics Programme (INREP) was launched in 1992 and based in ICRISAT, Hyderabad. After some time of its existence and operation, it was decided to create a new organisation for taking up the activities of INREP. To explore the possibility of creating such an organization, a brain-storming meeting of selected agricultural and natural resources economists was convened by the Ford Foundation, New Delhi on August 6-7, 1992 at Hotel Quality Inn, Hyderabad. The meeting was attended by 10 economists including Dr. William R Bentley from Winrock International, Dr. John Ambler from Ford Foundation, New Delhi, and Dr. John M. Kerr from ICRISAT. It was decided in this meeting that there was need for setting up an Indian organisation for carrying out the activities of INREP and a Steering Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Dr. Katar Singh, RBI Chair Professor, Institute of Rural Management, Anand to guide and facilitate the process of creating the proposed organisation. It was also decided in this meeting to name the new organisation as India Natural Resource Economics and Management (INREM) Foundation. Subsequently, the Steering Committee had four meetings to evolve and discuss the main objectives and activities of INREM Foundation and consequently, INREM Foundation was born in April 1994.

   DIVISION

The INREM Board resolved to create a water research division within the foundation starting from August 2007. This research division called CAREWATER - Centre for Action, Research and Education in Water focusses on research and education in water management.