AI4WaterPolicy: AI-assisted qualitative framework for strengthening water governance in India

AI4WaterPolicy is an AI-enabled qualitative data framework designed to strengthen community-based water governance by integrating behavioural insights into formal decision-making systems. Co-developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Centre for MicroFinance (CmF), Colectiv, and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), the framework responds to gaps in conventional monitoring approaches that rely heavily on quantitative indicators. Piloted within the Safe and Sustainable Drinking Water project across 350 villages in Rajasthan, India, AI4WaterPolicy uses AI-assisted qualitative interviews and human-in-the-loop analysis to capture community behaviours, motivations, and barriers influencing water security outcomes. The framework enables real-time feedback, reduces information asymmetry between communities and policymakers, and supports adaptive management by identifying why community leaders engage or disengage, where training needs adjustment, and how behavioural change evolves over time. By institutionalising qualitative insights within governance systems, AI4WaterPolicy enhances vertical policy coherence and enables more responsive, inclusive, and effective water governance.