The Research and Development initiative at Arghyam envisages funding carefully picked areas where Arghyam feels that a focussed research or product design/development effort would pay significant dividends by resulting in a product or technique that could benefit many people.
Typically the research is in a water technique or technology, almost always with strong sustainability and low-cost aspects. These research areas are arrived at in close consonance with Arghyam's Rural Grants and Urban Water and other initiatives at Arghyam and are meant to and respond to the felt needs and reflect field knowledge derived from these areas.

Past research funding at Arghyam has included support to two students at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, to work on hybrid rice research and use of Anthropogenic Liquid Waste (human urine) as a fertilizer. Of these the ALW work has expanded into joint funding starting (along with UNICEF and Stockholm Environment Institute) of a Center for Excellence in Ecological Sanitation at the University. More Ph.D. research, a demonstration plot with outreach activities, and a communication strategy for upscaling use of urine as a fertilizer are among the activities envisaged for the Center of Excellence. The use of human waste as fertilizer assumes extra importance in the light of the soaring costs of inputs for chemical fertilizers.

The current other main area of interest for research funding is appropriate wastewater treatment solutions. Untreated sewage water is a significant and widespread problem in cities and rural areas and mainstream solutions have disadvantages that have prevented their widespread uptake. There is a clear need for new solutions that meet the our particular needs.

Other areas for future efforts include water quality.

For more information or queries regarding the Research & Development initiative at Arghyam, please send mail to portal@arghyam.org