13th January, Thane: Ultramarathon runner and water advocate Mina Guli ran her 155th Marathon in Thane to raise awareness on water conservation, as part of the Run Blue Campaign. Under this campaign, Mina in partnership with Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of agriculture healthcare & nutrition, is running 200 marathons, to raise awareness about water issues, leading up to the United Nations (UN) water conference on World Water Day, 22 March 2023, in New York.
Thane, a city neighboring India’s financial capital Mumbai and famous for the many lakes dotting the city is also home to Bayer’s India headquarters. Mina Guli’s run in Thane saw enthusiastic participation by Bayer employees who have followed her progress across other cities in India and the world. The marathon started early in the morning from Bayer House in Hiranandani Estate, Thane covered various parts of Thane before concluding back at Bayer House.
Post her run, Mina Guli, water advocate and ultramarathon runner said, “I am happy to see the increased awareness on water conservation and healthy rivers being displayed by senior policymakers, government officials, corporates and the general public in my runs through various cities in India and along the Ganga. But a lot still needs to be done. My recent meetings with farmers at the Better Life Farming Hub, India’s G20 Sherpa, communities and a host of Bayer employees gives me renewed hope that there is a genuine realisation about the need to act now to save water and protect and restore the health of rivers. Countries and companies are beginning to realise that tackling water crisis and improving the health of rivers, lakes and wetlands is directly linked to food security, health security, and climate change adaption."
In alignment with government and international policy imperatives on sustainable development goals, Bayer is committed to ensuring water sustainability across its key programs, innovations, and operations. Bayer implements water efficiency across its cropping methods (DSR, AWD) to promote the adoption of environmentally effective technologies & sustainable practices to reduce GHG emissions and has introduced water-efficient hybrids (for corn and rice). These solutions are mitigating water consumption by 30-40%. Through various programs such as Better Life Farming, food value chain partnerships, strengthening and nurturing farmer producer organizations (FPO), FarmRise, and ‘better farms, better lives’, Bayer continues to collaborate with key stakeholders in the value chain on the creation, design, testing, & implementation of smart water solutions.
Emphasizing on the need to act on water conservation, D Narain, President, Bayer South Asia and Global Head of Smallholder Farming said, “Bayer is sharply focused on ensuring every drop of water counts. Excessive groundwater extraction, discharge of pollutants into rivers, and cultivation practices in water intensive crops like Rice are severely eroding water availability for today and for the future as well! Bayer’s collaborative efforts at reducing water usage in agriculture are supplemented by its efforts to reduce water consumption at its manufacturing facilities, offices and the communities we support through our Corporate Social Engagement efforts. I thank Mina for focusing on this important cause in partnership with Bayer. I hope her marathons will help catalyze the creation of a coalition of government, corporates, NGOs, and civil society to protect and conserve water, for our future generations.”
Run Blue is a remarkable initiative that has brought businesses and individuals together, worldwide, to spread awareness, generate urgency, and spur action around water. Bayer has partnered with Mina Guli as Run Blue’s goals on water conservation and creating a more sustainable future for the coming generations fully align with Bayer’s vision of ‘Health for all and Hunger for none’. The initiative also aligns with the Government's efforts to make Indian farms and manufacturing units more water efficient.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to drive sustainable development and generate a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability, and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2021, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 44.1 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com
Media Contacts:
Arijit Banerjee
Communications Business Partner, Corporate - South Asia, Bayer
Email: arijit.banerjee@bayer.com
Deepshikha Sinha
Senior Account Manager, Edelman
Email: deepshikha.sinha@edelman.com