Cargill, Technoserve tie-up to bring 25,000 acres under sustainable agriculture over next four years

Commodity major Cargill, in partnership with TechnoServe, plans to promote regenerative farming and sustainable agriculture in about 25,000 acres of farmland in the key maize producing region of Davanagere, in Karnataka, over the next four years. Named ‘Srishti’, the partnership between the two entities, will empower about 10,000 maize farming households in Davanagere by training them in the use of regenerative agriculture to improve soil health, sequester carbon, and improve water quality and use.

Simon George, president of Cargill in India, said, “Regenerative agriculture starts on the farm. That is why Cargill is supporting farmer-led efforts to scale regenerative agriculture globally and why we are starting this programme in Davanagere to create a lasting impact on farmers’ livelihoods and their long-term productivity. Leveraging our deep experience in the food and agriculture domain, coupled with TechnoServe’s success in sustainable development programmes, this partnership will foster transformation in the agricultural landscape in India and bring positive environmental outcomes.”

George said Cargill will invest about $2 million in implementing the ‘Srishti’ initiative, which will also address critical challenges such as water conservation, access to finance, and improved market linkages, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainable agriculture development.

“Over the next four years, the programme will support 10,000 farming households in building climate-resilient livelihoods by enabling the adoption of regenerative agriculture and water conservation practices. The economic empowerment of women from these farming households will also be a focus area for the programme,” said Punit Gupta, Country Director, TechnoServe India.

Gupta said the initiative will help farmers adopt regenerative practices like bund plantation of crops such as moringa, cover cropping and low tillage, expanding the water harvesting capacity of farming households sustainably through farm ponds and borewell recharge structures, and promoting sustainable use of community land to ensure afforestation of degraded pastureland.

The initiative will also focus on collaborating with farmer producer organisations (FPOs) as focal points for farmers’ awareness and engagement, besides accessing inputs required for regenerative practices and enhancing remunerative market linkages. The initiative was announced on Wednesday in the presence of Ronald P Verdnok, Minister Counsel, Office of Agricultural Affairs, US Embassy, along with the leadership teams of Cargill and Technoserve, a statement said.

“Having this inauguration of Cargill’s initiative this week is certainly timely, in light of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United States and the meetings he had with several US companies to hear about the increasing commercial ties and proximity of the companies and their customers, whether there in the US or here in India. Cargill’s regenerative farming initiative is a fitting example of strengthened partnership between our two countries, and, in the case of this programme, how a world-leading US multinational is making an investment to strengthen the sector of the Indian economy that accounts for more employment than any other and upwards of 15 per cent of GDP,” Verdnok said.

Healthier soils are more resilient to the impacts of climate change and can increase crop productivity, helping improve farmers’ livelihoods and enhancing sustainability of food supply chains. This program is just one example of how Cargill is working with farmers, partners and customers to implement soil health practices – supporting the company’s vision of making regenerative agriculture commonplace across its global supply chains. These efforts help farmers produce food more sustainably, while boosting their profitability and climate resiliency, the statement said.

Over the course of four years, the partnership will focus on empowering farmers with knowledge and tools to implement regenerative farming techniques by delivering comprehensive training, resources, and sustained support. Additionally, the initiative will address critical challenges such as water conservation, access to finance, and better market linkages, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainable agricultural development.

Regenerative agriculture is founded in traditional and indigenous soil health practices and integrating them with modern technology and innovation for a more targeted approach. To efficiently implement these practices at scale, this program will be working on:

• Helping farmers adopt regenerative practices like bund plantation, cover cropping and low tillage
• Expanding water harvesting capacity of farming households sustainably through farm ponds and borewell recharge structures
• Promoting sustainable use of community land to ensure afforestation of degraded pastureland
• Collaborating with Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) as focal points for farmers awareness and engagement, besides accessing inputs required for regenerative practices and enhancing remunerative market linkages

Farmers will also be upskilled on good agricultural practices like nutrient management, pest and disease management, pre and post-harvest practices and improved irrigation practices to drive positive environmental outcomes to help build a more resilient future.