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Interaction, Sustainability

In the face of climate change, farm risk management has taken several new turns. The increased implementation of technology in agriculture paved the way for several new avenues in risk management. The importance of drones came to light and farmers regained confidence in farming while these new avenues offered problem solving solutions. Naveneet Ravikar, Chairman & Managing Director, Leads Connect Services, expounds how risks in farming can be mitigated with technology, especially by using drones. Edited excerpts:

What is Leads Connect’s role in farm risk management?
Farm risk management has always been one of the most important components of services which we provide. The company has capabilities and experience of delivering end-to-end services
for farm risk management. There are various aspects of farm risk management beginning from crop health monitoring and stress estimation, claims settlement and risk assessment, disease
and pest identification to pre-harvest and post-harvest yield assessment.Our team uses advanced and cutting-edge technologies for assessing and quantifying risks associated with agritech spectrum. In addition, the focus has always been on timely assessment of risks with accuracy and precision. This helps in identifying pertinent measures for mitigating risks. We have presence in more than 100 districts across India for projects relating to the aspects of risk management. Moreover, the company has huge experience in delivering crop cutting experiments (CCE) and risk management projects/services.

The company is now fully equipped with cutting edge technologies, advanced frameworks such as machine learning and DeepTech, SpaceTech analytics and drones-as-a-service (DrAAS) for performing studies and delivering services on different dimensions of agritech. Besides association with nodal agencies of government, corporates and other organisations for addressing the challenges of the agricultural system; the team has performed numerous pilot studies on construing the dynamics of agri-risk management in different parts of India. These studies have helped us to develop robust and consistent frameworks for developing agritech solutions.

What risk management approach is best suited for Indian farmers when it comes to climate as a risk factor?
Climate change disasters are now a reality. This is now not anymore just a point of discussion. Regions across the globe are being hit and badly affected by different disasters. Impact of climate change disasters are far reaching and long term. Moreover, these paralyse the social, physical and natural system services. Besides adverse impact on the livelihoods and ecosystem, natural disasters threaten the sustainability of the economy. Agricultural sector has been the worst hit by climate change and is completely vulnerable to the perils of climate change. It is therefore absolutely necessary to implement climate resilient measures for strengthening the prospects of agricultural sustainability. As far as risk management is concerned for Indian farmers, steps can be taken in following directions:

• Crop management practices significantly vary in different parts of India. Thus, it is very important to adopt management practices according to the agro-ecological conditions of the region.

• Complexities are deep rooted and dynamic in Indian regions. Henceforth, implementation of smart technologies is an absolute necessity for deciphering the intricacies of agro-ecosystem.

• India is also now facing the heat of climate change. Considering its demographic dynamics and topographical complexities, it is very likely that the threat of climate change will only escalate in the near future. Therefore, it is necessary that Indian farmers must adopt climate resilient approaches such as climate resilient seeds, modern irrigation methods, etc.

• Adoption of climate smart technology is now a must in the agricultural sector.

• It is now absolutely necessary to use drones for accurate monitoring of farm health and for identification of crop stress / diseases / pests. Technology in agriculture, these days, is used extensively to mitigate risks.

Can you elaborate this with examples?
Technology is definitely a key in developing effective solutions for agricultural challenges. Specifically, there would be a huge role of technology in developing effective solutions for agriculture in following dimensions:
• Accurate and precise monitoring of farm health.

• Real time alerts and advisory.

• Crop yield simulation and prediction.

• Impact Time bound claim settlements.

• Assessment of advisories on increasing the
yield.

• Automation of crop cutting experiments.

• Crop disease identification.

• Fraud monitoring and mitigation.

• Seamless on-boarding of farmers into the digital system. This will help in increasing the transparency in the system.

• Enabling farmers through Fintech measures farmers in digital platforms. This will bring transparency in the system.

• Generating scenarios in the context of AgriValue chain analytics.

Drones are used extensively these days and data generated from their application is redefining agriculture. Can you justify this statement and share some facts about the use of
drones in risk management?
There is no ambiguity in the fact that drone analytics has potential in confronting the challenges of agriculture. Drones for risk management are instrumental in following dimensions:
• Availability of high-resolution data from drones helps in accurate and precise monitoring.

• Drone data can also be used to generate accurate thresholds. These thresholds can further be used for upscaling the agricultural studies.

• Drone analytics can be very important in fraud mitigation while settling the claims. • Drone data can be significant in identification of crop diseases and pests.

• UAV analytics can become a game changer for addressing the issues of irrigation monitoring. This can be a strong step towards precision farming.

• Drones can also be used for fertiliser and pesticides spraying.

Anusha Ashwin

In the face of climate change, farm

Agrotech, Interaction, Sustainability

Weather Risk Management Services (WRMS), an agriculture and dairy risk management company that is working
towards risk-reducing strategies. The company leverages data, technology and financial innovation to develop risk management solutions that help farmers enhance productivity, gain a secure income, and practice sustainable farming. Headquartered in Gurugram, WRMS is a pioneer in smart and sustainable farming in India. It was founded by Sonu Agarwal, Anuj Kumbhat and Ashish Agarwal as an endeavour to empower farmers in overcoming the most daunting agrarian challenges. The company has received investments and grants from luminaries like UPL, ILO and the Ford Foundation. Foreseeing the immense potential in this sector, Anuj Kumbhat, Founder & CEO, WRMS, shared his insights on numerous strategies and opportunities in the farm risk management sector. Edited excerpts;

How farm risk management strategies can make the agri industry profitable?

Risk is an integral part of the agriculture sector. Each day, farmers are confronted with different types of risk, like production risk, price or market risk, financial risk, institutional risk, etc. In India, agriculture risks are exacerbated by a number of factors, ranging from climate variability and change, frequent natural disasters, uncertainties in yields and prices, weak rural infrastructure, imperfect markets, and lack of financial services. Risk-reducing strategies are often used in combination with one another, because no single strategy can cover all of the risks likely to be encountered. Farmers need to consider the risks simultaneously and adopt an integrated approach for better farm management. They need to recognise the advantages and disadvantages of each risk management option, both individually and in combination. Individual farmers should select an appropriate strategy based on their goals, attitudes towards risk, and their personal and financial situations.

5 farm risk management strategies that can make the agri industry profitable:

1. Enterprise diversification: It is a self- insuring strategy used by farmers to protect against risk. Income from different crops and livestock activities does not move up and down in perfect connection, so a low income from one activity is likely to be offset by a higher income from another.

2. Financial leverage: It is the use of borrowed funds to help finance the farm business. Debt levels that are higher than net worth are generally regarded as hazardous. The best amount to be leveraged is determined by a number of criteria, including farm profitability, loan costs, risk tolerance, and income uncertainty.

3. Vertical integration: It maintains ownership or control of a commodity throughout two or more stages of production and/or marketing, lowering the risk associated with the quantity and quality of
inputs and outputs.

4. Hedging: It means using futures or options contracts to mitigate the risk of a negative price shift before a cash sale or purchase of a commodity.

5. Contracting: By ensuring pricing, market outlets, or other terms of trade in advance, contracting can reduce risk. Marketing contracts, or simply forward contracts, define the price, quality, and quantity of product to be provided. Production contracts are contracts that outline the production procedures to be employed and/or who delivers the inputs.

What are the opportunities in farm risk management in India?
Access to data-driven, digitally-enabled agriculture ecosystems is leading to a revolution in the agritech sector in India. The incorporation of farm management software, drones, smart irrigation systems, predictive data analytics, integrated warehousing, and marketplace platforms in Agritech are addressing some of the key challenges faced by growers, financers, and governments. Despite the multitude of technological advancements in the sector, smallholder farmers do not seem to prosper. They remain unable to take full advantage of the tech solutions provided to them, and as a result, these solutions fall short of their envisioned impacts and outcomes.

With farmer digital adoption increasing, the option of evaluating credit scores on the basis of data available, the setting up of a federal agri stack, and the introduction of the government-launched Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) have been important steps towards the evolution of the insurance landscape. However, the accumulation of large-scale data also calls for appropriate privacy and security regulations, which are currently a work in progress in India. While federal initiatives like the proposed agri-stack are a great start to collecting farm-related data in one place, the long-term impact also needs to be factored in by agencies and the government working in the agri sector. The need of the hour is the digitisation of the agriculture sector. The sector needs multiple startups, intermediaries, and agencies who can build interesting and viable solutions. We need more data, more digitisation, more risk assessment models and delivery channels that can reach out to farmers efficiently at an affordable cost.

What are your contributions in farm risk management?
Through our services, we improve farmers’ confidence and improve income stability through the adoption of practices that can minimise farmers’ risk and ensure a higher yield. By optimising agriculture processes and providing market access to the farmers, we are playing a role as a catalyst in increasing their income. The impact of our services is very positive, and a large number of farmers have benefited so far. WRMS has left an indelible footprint on the lives of a number of farmers till date by minimising their crop loss risk to a large extent. Also, WRMS through its smart and sustainable farming platform, SecuFarm offers a smart and sustainable farming solution that provides a guaranteed income to the farmers. When farmers enroll in the SecuFarm service, they receive timely weather-related nformation on the SecuFarm app to plan their crop protection and irrigation based on crop health and soil condition, which helps them optimise water use. Also, they receive customised solutions for the optimised use of agro-chemicals. The app also educates farmers on various crop diseases through vernacular audio-visual content and connects them with agri experts who answer all their crop-related queries, besides providing them solutions within 24 hours.

Through the SecuFarm app, farmers can access real-time data about their farm and crop conditions that is generated through IoT sensors, automated weather stations, satellites, and drones, and get real-time responses to tackle pests, diseases, and weather risks. WRMS is the only company that offers farm level risk management using Risk Pricing Models and provides integrated risk management and regulatory services that help financial institutions, insurers, input farming companies, and corporates understand, quantify, and manage their risk associated with weather— earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and other weather events—and crop yields.

How can WRMS bring revolution in the agri industry?

WRMS is on a mission to revolutionise the farming sector by allowing farmers to dive into the world of latest technology in the agri space without worrying about the risks involved as the company offers them 360-degree income protection. With our flagship platform SecuFarm, we offer farm-level yield assurance to smallholder farmers and bring them on the path to sustainable farming. The app helps farmers achieve more productive and sustainable farming, thus uplifting their socio-economic status. With the help of SecuFarm app, smallholders get secured incomes as the process involves land analysis and further classification of sustainable agriculture practices to adopt in order to enhance the produce quality with well calculated data analytics backed with high-end technologies.

In case a farmer doesn’t get the expected and predicted produce result, he’s compensated as per the land area. Such a smart initiative ensures that smallholders have enough finance to support their livelihoods no matter the post harvest results. SecuFarm leverages its multi- disciplinary capability across smart farming, modern data science, and insurance solutions. The idea is to drive smallholders towards digital farming practices. We are also an industry leader in Climate Outlook and Weather Forecasting Services and build resilience against vagaries of weather. WRMS helps farmers foresee weather-based risks within a smaller time frame and adopt the right practices to mitigate the risk. We foresee & estimate long-term climate-related risks and identify the markets/geographies exposed to minimum risks. WRMS identifies business models vulnerable to climate risk in a time horizon of the next 10 to 25 years.

What are your plans for the next 5 years?
The company is seeking investments to expand WRMS SecuFarm to a million farmers in a 3–4-year timeframe. Our mission is to secure 1 million farms by the year 2026. We will continue to focus on technology implementation and risk management advisory services. Along with this, we will work towards enhancing the quality of our offering, which includes multidisciplinary capabilities spanning data analytics, technology, and finance, to address and resolve complex agrarian challenges. We are also seeking partnerships with like-minded organisations working with smallholder farmers and FPOs so that we can reach the deepest pockets of the country where a farmer is sowing a seed in the hope of a good yield.

How is SecuFarm, a one-stop platform for all the farmers?
SecuFarm is the world’s first smart and sustainable farming solution that provides a guaranteed income to the farmers. It enables farmers to overcome the most difficult agrarian challenges, such as insufficient rainfall, acidic soil, insufficient soil nutrients, and traditional farming practices. SecuFarm is created by leveraging our multi-disciplinary capability across smart farming, modern data science, and insurance solutions. When farmers enroll in the SecuFarm app, their farm is geo-tagged for farm level monitoring. Our team monitors their farms using drones, satellites, and IoT sensors to give them accurate and timely information on the weather forecast, crop health, pest attack, soil nutrients, irrigation requirements, and more. Through the SecuFarm app and SMS,
farmers receive timely alerts and advisories. As farmers follow our Package of Practices, they get a higher benchmark yield, which is also better in quality. This increases the market demand for
their product and gets them good returns. And if their yield is below the assured yield, they get timely compensation. Thus, the farmer is never at risk with SecuFarm.

Using satellites and IoTs, WRMS monitors the situation on the ground and responds in real- time, with the goal of helping farmers overcome the most difficult agricultural obstacles. The WRMS Automatic Weather Station (AWS) helps in generating weather forecasts using grid-level data. The Automatic Pest Monitor (APM) helps monitor all kinds of pests and provides the pest density remotely by attracting the pest and capturing the image. Whereas an Automatic Soil Moisture (ASM) sensor provides real-time analysis of the soil health (soil moisture, physical properties, structure, and nutrient content of soil) of a particular area. AI technology and deep learning are applied to historical data of weather, yields, etc. to provide estimated values of present data wherever other sensors are unable to capture real-time data.

Pooja Yadav

pooja.yadav@mmactiv.com

Weather Risk Management Services (WRMS), an agriculture

Biostimulants, Company News

Field trials consistently demonstrate a 15 per cent yield improvement in fruits and vegetables

BioConsortia, Inc. and The Mosaic Company  have entered into a new agreement to distribute BioConsortia’s new microbial biostimulant in Asia. The new biostimulant BEC69 is branded as ZAFFRE™ in North America, and is expected to provide growers with significant value by optimizing root conditions to help the plant use available nutrients in the soil. It is based on naturally occurring, beneficial bacteria that colonize the roots of plants, stimulate growth, and increase crop yields.

ZAFFRE has demonstrated a high level of consistency in field trials in the United States on a wide range of crops, both as a drench and as a seed treatment. Key fruit and vegetable crops such as tomatoes and beans have repeatedly demonstrated yield increases averaging 15% over multiple seasons of study. The biostimulant has also repeatedly shown positive impacts on germination of high value vegetable seeds in both stressed and optimal conditions. ZAFFRE can be used alongside BioConsortia’s nitrogen fixing microbial products.

Kim Nicholson, Mosaic Vice President of AgTech and Innovation, Strategy and Growth, stated, “Effective biostimulants are a powerful tool in our strategy to provide growers with plant nutrient products that help them increase their yields and profits, while caring for their soils and the environment. We are excited to see the potential of BEC69 in China and other Asian markets where our local sales and marketing teams are developing a strong business.”

Marcus Meadows-Smith, CEO, BioConsortia added, “Mosaic has proven to be a strong partner, and is growing and innovating in the areas of plant nutrition and soil health. We are proud that Mosaic will be introducing this product to their customers in Asia, as ZAFFRE has already demonstrated high consistency and potency in the USA.”

Field trials consistently demonstrate a 15 per

Company News, Seeds

 The company is helping the next generation of farmers through its hybrid millet seeds and modernizing the key agricultural attributes to support them in growing what matters.

Corteva Agriscience, the global agriculture company, has been committed to offering an unparalleled choice of seed products and innovations for today and tomorrow. Observing the “International Year of Millets 2022-23” and to address the demand for adequate food, nutrition, and livelihood security while combating climate change, the company is focused on engaging the next generation of farmers through its hybrid millet seeds and modernizing the key agricultural attributes to support them in growing what matters.

Millet is grown for grain as well as for fodder production. The grain can be used in poultry and cattle etc. The developing countries in Asia and Africa contribute around 93 per cent of total millet production in the world. India is their largest global producer, with a 41 per cent market share. Millet can withstand extreme temperatures, floods, and droughts accompanied by its low carbon footprint aids in mitigating the effects of climate change. This crop is mostly sown in rainfed areas after rain and can grow in areas that experience frequent periods of dry weather during either the vegetative or reproductive phases. Given the huge potential of millets in bolstering India’s food and nutritional security and alleviating hunger, there is a growing need for high potential hybrid seeds that can be grown in irrigated as well as rainfed areas that can help farmers to increase their income.

In line with this, Corteva’s hybrid millet seeds provide maximum productivity and profitability. Corteva representatives also work with farmers to create more sustainable agricultural practices that can be implemented across the entire farm.

Gurpreet Bhathal, Marketing Director, Corteva Agriscience South Asia said, “Antrashtriya Bajra Mahotsav’ 2022-23 will spotlight the ecological benefits and nutritional value of millets to producers and consumers. We believe that the initiative will benefit the farmers the most. As a part of our efforts towards delivering for farmers and agriculture, we, at Corteva Agriscience, are supporting the farmers with hybrid seeds for years to deliver exceptional yields and meet their full potential. We take pride in this as the benefits of millets will be delivered to millions of consumers. As more consumers become aware of the nutritional value of the millets, more people will consume them, which will help farmers increase their income.”

Corteva Agriscience strives to help farmers improve the performance of their farms, every year, through leading-edge agronomy, digital farming, and financial expertise. The company is concentrating its efforts to educate farmers about the use of technology-driven solutions that enable growers to achieve the sustainable development goals of food security and nutrition. 

 The company is helping the next generation

Interaction, Sustainability

EKI Energy Services Ltd. is a leading Carbon Credit Developer & Supplier across the globe. Founded in 2008, the Bombay Stock Exchange listed company has been passionately working towards rehabilitating planet Earth to a future of net-zero carbon emission. EKI offers sustainable solutions for climate change and carbon offsets with global standards like CDM, VCS, Gold Standard, GCC, IREC, TIGR and others. With an aim to contribute to the development of a climate resilient global economy, the company offers strategic solutions to businesses and organisations globally to achieve their climate ambition. The company has incorporated a new associate – GHG Reduction Technologies Pvt Ltd. for the backward integration of carbon credit supply. Manish Dabkara, CMD & CEO, EKI Energy Services Ltd shares his views with AgroSpectrum on the status of carbon farming market in India and the way forward

How is EKI helping farmers to generate an additional, sustainable income from carbon cropping?
We at EKI have defined best practices for the implementation of Agricultural Nature- based Solutions (Ag-NbS) based on various on-the-ground experiences to assist project designers, proponents, farmers and conservation practitioners seeking repayable project financing for new initiatives.Ag-NbS can help farmers adapt to future weather extremes such as droughts, severe storms, or coastal flooding by improving soil health and water retention, reducing soil erosion,and buffering shorelines, as well as promoting food and nutrition security through varied production systems and also as a source of income. They can reduce the usage of chemical additives, lowering production costs and make food safer.

NbS are a form of Ecosystem-based Mitigation (EBM) that can contribute to combating climate change by preventing the degradation and loss of natural and managed ecosystems. When effectively implemented, nature-based solutions can deliver a triple benefit in terms of agricultural productivity and resilience, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity enhancement. NbS has been used to address a wide range of societal challenges, including climate change, human health, disaster risk reduction, food and water security, and so on. Due to uncertainty in weather patterns, water insecurity, and soil degradation; agriculture is one of the sectors that face several market failures. Although Ag-NbS are projected to improve air, water, and soil quality significantly, the upfront costs and risks of transitioning to NbS make the alternative unaffordable for many farmers.

Transitioning to Ag-NbS usually necessitates an ecosystem of actors, including NGOs, governments, corporations, and others, coordinating their activities through clear policies and institutional participation. Investments should be made to help resource-strapped farmers embrace natural farming practices such as replacing synthetic fertilisers with organic soil amendments.

What are the challenges in the carbon farming trading sector in India?
At EKI, we develop mechanisms involved in carbon farming to help restore the lost functions of the ecosystem and strengthen ecosystem service delivery considering all the aforementioned challenges. Our framework mainly includes soil health and water quality (environmental well-being), in addition to improved farm productivity and profitability. Effective planning strategies are needed that not only meet human demands but also safeguard environmental resources. Carbon farming initiatives (CFI) call for agro-environmental policies to encourage farmers to use sustainable farming techniques. However, getting farmers to participate in such programmes is challenging,owing to the complexity of scheme design and implementation, as well as policymakers’, investors’, and farmers’ competing objectives.

In addition to inadequate knowledge or management abilities, some of the hurdles to carbon farming are directly related to landowners’ interests. Political instability has a significant impact on such practices’ adoption and implementation. Furthermore, ambiguity about environmental consequences and a lack of understanding of such policies and plans may impede their implementation.
In fact, many farmers are unaware of the benefits and limitations of carbon farming, which is exacerbated by high input costs and concerns about the impact of carbon farming on yield and farm productivity. Significant challenges to carbon farming include capital investment, incompatibility of carbon farming with traditional farm management techniques, and potential impact on farmers’ ability to seek financial help from banks or other sources. Along with terrestrial carbon sequestration, carbon farming provides an opportunity to sustain biodiversity, as well as economic and social co-benefits. However, its successful execution is dependent on adequate institutional structures and information dissemination. Farmers must be given exact information on carbon removal, estimated financial rewards in the carbon market, changes in carbon yields based on soil type, potential effects on property value, and agricultural production.

What inputs are required for the growth of the carbon credit trade sector in India?
The growth of carbon credit trade in India requires the following:

• A national legislation by Parliament to pave the path for the formation of requisite market systems and legitimisation of the National Carbon Registry & National Carbon Market to meet the country’s commitments under Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)

• Respective line ministries, which may include the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, etc., to effectively form the national policy for the formation of a national carbon market.

• Regulation to be brought in on an urgent basis to formulate the rules for the operation of such a carbon market. The market should be effectively sunk with the National Carbon Registry.


• Effective level playing field to support private sector participation in the origination of carbon emission reductions (projects) and country endorsement to participate in International Voluntary Carbon trading, bringing the requisite FDIs in India

• In the recent future, with the advent of operational modalities under Article 6 Supervisory Body of UNFCCC and its administered International Carbon Registry, the Indian National Carbon Registry should effectively be linked on a real-time basis with the International Carbon Registry.

• The above measures will help to establish a transparent and vibrant carbon market, providing an indexing facility to leverage the most required green/carbon finance instruments and facilitating India’s carbon neutral growth path while helping in attaining its NDC goal.

What are your growth plans and strategies in FY 22-23?
EKI Energy Services has achieved numerous milestones in 2022 and as we gear up for 2023, we promise to continue the momentum and empower the planet’s journey to net-zero. We have recently announced a host of strategic plans in preparation for COP27 as a part of our roadmap for FY 2022-23. Our new brand identity of ‘Steering the planet to net-zero’ explains our continued focus on climate action. We have committed to becoming net-zero by 2030 and also mobilise up to 1 billion credits within the next 5 years (by 2027). We aim to ensure that as businesses globally plan their roadmap for FY 22-23, they will take inspiration from us and include definitive climate goals and targets for emission reductions and net-zero. We also plan to enhance our international presence and enter into new geographies and further consolidate our leadership position. We aim to further strengthen the backwardintegration of the carbon credit supply chain through environment-friendly projects that also enable community upliftment such as biogas and tree plantation amongst others. We will continue to look for new growth avenues to play a bigger role in global carbon asset management.


How do you foresee the future of the carbon farming trading sector in India and what are the plans of the company to create direct market linkages for carbon credit?
As the carbon credit market continues to grow exponentially, we expect the carbon farming sector to grow as well. The implementation of NbS projects and other carbon reduction projects that enable greater focus on farmland practices and sustainable agriculture will directly promote carbon farming which will also ensure a steady supply of carbon credits. Policy guidelines will also aid the development of carbon farming. We continue to drive focused efforts to increase NbS projects. We also have a partnership with Shell Overseas Investments B.V. (The Netherlands) for this. These projects will enable carbon reduction and bring greater focus on carbon farming. As the ecosystem develops, more and more farmers will join the quest for carbon financing given its ability to make their farmland and farming investments self-sustaining for higher produce even as they generate additional revenues from carbon credits. COP26 witnessed the zeal of nations to turn the 2020s into a decade of climate action and support including India’s commitment to achieving net-zero by 2070. The future of the industry seems bright. But it isn’t easy for any country to reduce their carbon emissions to meet their climate goals and hence, the requirement for services like carbon credits will increase gradually because emission trading is usually considered the best system to reduce emissions.

Dipti Barve
dipti.barve@mmactiv.com

EKI Energy Services Ltd. is a leading

Agrotech, Interaction, Sustainability

Recently the Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative (RPL Collaborative) launched Madhya Pradesh’s first Public-Private-Community Partnership (Compact) to improve regenerative agricultural practices and source sustainably. The partnership is led by Inditex, H&M Group, IKEA, Neutral, PepsiCo India, Samunnati Finance, Jayanti Spices, INI Farms and S.V. Agri. The multi-stakeholder Compact also includes key-decision makers such as civil society organisations (CSOs) namely SRIJAN, Action for Social Advancement, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, and farmer producer organisations. Anita Chester, Partner Designate, Laudes India LLP shares her views with AgroSpectrum on Public-Private-Community Partnership (Multi-stakeholder Compact) in India and its role in improving regenerative agricultural practices and source sustainably

What is the Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative (RPL Collaborative) ‘Compact’ and how will it benefit farmers and the agri industry?
The RPL Collaborative is an innovative jurisdictional model aimed at fostering agricultural ecosystems that conserve and enhance natural resources, and build community resilience while enabling businesses to source responsibly. Originally founded by IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative, WWF India and Laudes Foundation, the partnership has attracted diverse stakeholders. In the most recent update, RPL Collaborative announced the launch of its first Compact in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh. Sustainable land management that has a single commodity focus or relies solely on certifications fails to address issues such as soil degradation, GHG emissions and producer livelihoods at scale. There is, therefore, a need for a multi-stakeholder collaboration that is place- based, locally contextual and puts the voice of the producer front and centre. To achieve this, the collaborative will support locally driven, multi-stakeholder governance structures that drive market transformation – bringing together government institutions that enable sustainable and green growth, companies that commit to sourcing responsibly and meet their sustainability goals, community and producer organisations for more inclusive decision-making, and impact investors and funders who seek scalable solutions that deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What was the need for a multi- stakeholder compact in PPP?
Engaging public and private stakeholders helps build a strong multi-stakeholder governance for the programme. Joining hands with like-minded partners from the government, private sectors, CSOs, farmer organisations, communities and other enablers contributes to building a shared, long-term vision and approach to scale regenerative and restorative production practices. The collaborative will jointly discuss and agree on targets towards unlocking environmental and social impact in the region. This approach provides producers a seat at the table while encouraging businesses to transition
away from top-down certification-based sourcing practices and enable the public sector to frame contextual policies. Laudes Foundation has played a catalytic role in providing the funding and in bringing together this multi-stakeholder vision and collaboration, to radically transform business models and agricultural practice.

What will be the role of the private sector in the RPL Collaborative?
The private sector will play a key role in the collaborative by way of providing demand signals, committed offtake and co-investment. They will join the governance of the programme and help define the strategic direction for the Collaborative along with other involved stakeholders. Future- proofing production systems requires businesses to reimagine their sourcing practices and adopt business models that consider structural issues such as a lack of incentives for protecting natural resources and less power for producers and stakeholders further down the supply chain to negotiate prices. The private sector will engage with NGO partners, Farmer Producer Companies and other supply chain partners to work with the last mile producers leading to improved farmer livelihood and regenerative agriculture practices. Also, the assurance of demand by the private sector has the ability to unlock credit for farmers.

How does the RPL Collaborative contribute in developing the agri supply chain in India?

The aim of the Collaborative is to develop aregenerative agriculture value-chain for multiple crops in the region by encouraging producers to use organic and regenerative principles and improve market access for sustainable products (from the region) by connecting them with global and national companies. This includes facilitating access to finance for producers and the value chain by linking them with financial institutions.The Collaborative will also support projects that generate ecosystem benefits such as reduction in emissions, improvement in soil health, better water management practices and biodiversity-friendly agriculture that can be further adopted and scaled by the private and public sector.

How will you promote regenerative agriculture and sustainable sourcing?

The Collaborative is committed to taking a truly inclusive approach to empowering producers as key decision makers within the programme. To promote sustainable sourcing, it will work with private sector players from the food and apparel sector to help them connect with farmers while constantly looking at opportunities to market regenerative produce from this region.

What are your future plans in India?
By 2025, the goal is to cover nine districts in Madhya Pradesh through a combination of in-field interventions, value chain development, institutions and governance building, and concerted public-private engagement to address the smallholder resilience in the landscape holistically. While the first Compact is being formed in the ecologically sensitive tiger belt of Satpura-Maikal landscape in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh which will reach 20,000 farmers, the second Compact will cover eight districts in western Madhya Pradesh, including parts of the Narmada Basin to reach
100,000 farmers. Overall, the Collaborative aims to reach 120,000 farmers with 200,000 hectares of cropland under sustainable land management practices and 300,000 hectares under landscape governance.

Dipti Barve
dipti.barve@mmactiv.com

Recently the Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative (RPL

Agri Genomics, Agro Universities, R&D

Chickpea researchers got an opportunity to observe in person and select desirable germplasm among over 10,000 accessions that originated in more than 50 countries.

With an aim to enhance use of chickpea germplasm in India’s crop improvement, ICRISAT Genebank organized a germplasm field day at its global headquarters in Patancheru and displayed chickpea germplasm diversity and trait-specific sources to various researchers participating in the event.

Chickpea researchers got an opportunity to observe in person and select desirable germplasm among over 10,000 accessions that originated in more than 50 countries. This included pan genebank accessions from ICRISAT genebank (>3,500 accessions) and ICAR-NBPGR (1,500 accessions), 292 highly diverse reference set collection, 2,200 accessions of whole-genome sequenced, and 223 superior haplotypes.

Twenty-one researchers from eleven Indian institutions participated in the event. ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi and Hyderabad, ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar, Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute Durgapura, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Glocal University Training & Research Center, Hyderabad, and Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Nandyal.

Dr Kuldeep Singh, Head – Genebank, ICRISAT, welcomed the participants, and explained the importance of germplasm conservation and laid stress on the use of diverse germplasm in crop improvement. He also emphasized on other research areas in chickpea, including the use of superior haplotypes for yield-related traits, identified at ICRISAT through the whole-genome sequencing of 3,366 accessions.

Dr Arvind Kumar, Deputy Director General – Research ICRISAT, emphasized the importance of germplasm in trait improvement. The ICRISAT and ICAR-NBPGR genebanks are leading, with one of the largest efforts on phenotypic and genomic characterization of over 5,000 chickpea germplasm, translating these efforts to integrate in the breeding pipeline for chickpea improvement.

Dr Patrick Okori, Cluster Leader – Seed Systems, ICRISAT, while addressing the participants shared that, “The project supported by DBT, India will help to improve chickpea productivity in the country and across the globe. Diversifying the cropping system in Africa, with crops like chickpea which grow in a short time, can help us effectively address the issue of malnutrition.”

Chickpea researchers got an opportunity to observe

Agrotech, Company News

The exclusive license and supply agreement will allow UPL to commercialise a new biocontrol technology from Agrauxine in the United States

UPL, a global leader in sustainable agriculture solutions, has recently announced a strategic collaboration with Agrauxine by Lesaffre, a subsidiary of Lesaffre company specializing in biological crop solutions. The exclusive license and supply agreement will allow UPL to commercialise a new biocontrol technology from Agrauxine in the United States.

The collaboration with Agrauxine broadens the biological offerings that NPP will deliver in the United States. A new biocontrol technology from the collaboration is awaiting US EPA registration, expected later in 2022.

Agrauxine by Lesaffre is a business unit of Lesaffre, a key global player in fermentation for more than a century. Based in France, Agrauxine develops, manufactures and commercialises biosolutions from selected natural strains of fungi, bacteria and yeast microorganisms.

“Agrauxine is a recognised global innovator in the development of sustainable solutions derived from microorganisms that address critical challenges of growers,” says Jim Petta, Natural Plant Protection Head, North America. “This partnership is a natural for us, and it’s a collaboration that will strengthen our BioSolutions product pipeline to deliver enhanced value for US growers.”

Says Hugo Bony, CEO, Agrauxine by Lesaffre, “We have strong ambitions for growth in the U.S. market. We’re looking forward to our partnership with UPL to deliver this new biocontrol technology derived from microorganisms that will help growers overcome crop stresses during germination, emergence and early plant growth.”

The exclusive license and supply agreement will

Agrotech, Europe, R&D

It is the first step towards becoming a partner and hub for research and development of new biological techniques and solutions for Bayer.

MAAVi Innovation Centre of Kimitec, Europe’s largest research centre focused on natural agriculture and one of the world’s largest natural technology hubs for food systems transformation, has announced Bayer is evaluating some Kimitec products. Tests are focused on the potential for future joint research and development of sustainable and effective biological products that leverage Kimitec’s expertise in biostimulants, biopesticides and the soil microbiome.

“This is the first step towards becoming a partner and hub for research and development of new biological techniques and solutions for Bayer. Together, we will move toward a paradigm shift in agriculture with the use of products derived from natural sources,” says Felix Garcia, CEO and Founder of MAAVi Innovation Center and Kimitec.

In line with the objectives of the European Green Pact, Kimitec’s MAAVi Innovation Center focuses on the environmental impact of agriculture while maintaining productivity to support global food security. MAAVi’s research is the starting point for the development of a more sustainable food production system and is currently working to realise the objectives of the Horizon Europe and Farm to Fork programmes.

“MAAVi’s expertise in developing biological solutions that support sustainable futures for agriculture offers a lot of potential,” stresses Benoit Hartmann, Head of Biologicals for Bayer. “We look forward to continuing our evaluations with this agricultural R&D centre.”

It is the first step towards becoming

Agrotech, Machinery – Post-harvesting, Sustainability

 It showcases some of the projects and initiatives that are enabling CNH Industrial to pursue its sustainability strategy.

CNH Industrial has redoubled its commitment to a more sustainable future, as evidenced by the sixth edition of A Sustainable Year which highlights a selection of sustainability initiatives accomplished in 2021.It complements the earlier publication of the 2021 Sustainability Report, providing a reader-friendly snapshot of the Company’s major social, economic, and environmental activities as well as its strategic sustainability targets.

A Sustainable Year showcases some of the projects and initiatives that are enabling CNH Industrial to pursue its sustainability strategy. Highlights include CASE Construction Equipment’s beach care project to tackle plastic waste and raise awareness, and the Company’s program to install solar panels on the roofs of all manufacturing plants by 2030. It also details the New Holland brand’s e-Source, a new plug-in system which transforms mechanical energy generated by a tractor into electricity to power implements, consequently reducing carbon emissions, improving safety standards, and saving fuel.

Furthermore, the publication provides updates on how the Company is engaged with its people and communities at large, promoting Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and supporting its customers on their own sustainability journeys.

These stories are testament to CNH Industrial’s leading role in corporate sustainability. The Company continues to be acknowledged for its commitment, including 11 consecutive years of being named as an Industry Top Scorer in the Dow Jones Sustainability World and Europe Indexes.

 It showcases some of the projects and

Foodgrains, Warehousing

The facility is slated to be operational in the fall of 2023 and will help CHS expand operational capabilities and increase efficiency across its footprint

CHS has announced that it will begin construction of a new state-of-the-art grain facility with 1.25 million bushels of additional storage capacity in Erskine, Minn. The facility is slated to be operational in the fall of 2023 and will help CHS expand operational capabilities and increase efficiency across its footprint. The new shuttle elevator will bring total capacity at the location to 4.55 million bushels of storage and will complement existing CHS grain, agronomy and energy assets and offerings for area producers.

Rick Dusek, executive vice president of CHS ag retail operations stated, “Our people, assets, capabilities and operational footprint are the strengths of our retail platform, and this important project advances our strategy to expand our customer-focused retail solutions platform, creating value and driving growth for farmers – as customers and owners. This facility is a key location in the flow of grain from the Upper Midwest to export terminals in the Pacific Northwest.”

The new terminal is the latest in a series of investments throughout Minnesota and North Dakota by CHS. In keeping with its core value of safety, the company has placed priority on safety features and advancements to improve operating conditions.

“Along with expanding our grain handling capabilities and value to area farmers, the new facility will create advantages for our employees, farmers and community,” says James Hardy, who manages CHS Northern Grain, a CHS business unit with 11 grain facilities in northwest Minnesota.

CHS Northern Grain is a part of CHS Inc, a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States.

The facility is slated to be operational

Trade

The mango show in Bahrain is part of APEDA’s new initiatives to explore international markets for Indian mangoes under the ‘Mango Festival 2022’

In a major boost to the export of mangoes, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) launched an eight-day-long Mango Festival in the Kingdom of Bahrain on June 13 in association with the Indian Embassy and Al Jazira Group.

At the show, 34 varieties of mangoes from eastern states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, are being displayed at eight different locations of Bahrain’s Al Jazira group supermarket. 27 of these varieties have been procured from West Bengal, while two each variety are from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and one variety from Uttar Pradesh. All the varieties of mangoes have been directly procured from farmers and two Farmer Producer Organisations. The mango show will continue till June 20, 2022.

All the 34 varieties of Indian mangoes have been displayed at eight different stores of Al Jazira located at Hamala, Mahooz, Zing, Juffair, Budaiya, Adilya, Seef and Riffa in Bahrain. Besides, mangoes as a whole, several mango preparations like mango cake prepared in Al Jazira bakery, juices, different varieties of mango shakes, etc. have also been showcased at the festival.

The mango show in Bahrain is part of APEDA’s new initiatives to explore international markets for Indian mangoes under the ‘Mango Festival 2022’. It’s the outcome of APEDA’s commitment to provide a global platform for Indian mangoes that for the first time 34 varieties of mangoes from eastern states have been showcased in Bahrain.

The mango show in Bahrain is part

AgroPolicy, Trade

IBSM aimed at boosting exports of Apricots and other agri products from Ladakh

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in collaboration with Union Territory of Ladakh has recently organised an International Buyer Seller Meet (IBSM). 

IBSM aimed at boosting exports of Apricots and other agri products from Ladakh.

Eighteen entrepreneurs from UTs of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir displayed a range of Apricots and other Agri Products. Twenty buyers from India, USA, Bangladesh, Oman, Dubai participated in this event. 

More than 30 producers of Ladakh Apricots and other agro products and stakeholders from UTs of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir participated to interact with the importers and exporters providing platform to growers, entrepreneurs from UTs of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir to display their products and facilitate B2B interactions. 

APEDA, under its initiative to boost exports from Himalayan Region is encouraging States and UTs to harness their potential of agricultural produce exports. A platform will be created for the buyers to get the products directly from the producer group and the processors.

IBSM aimed at boosting exports of Apricots

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Company News

 Ramping up potash production capability to 18 million tonnes by 2025 and planning for approximately $2 billion in additional share repurchases in 2022

 Saskatchewan based Nutrien Ltd announced it plans to increase fertilizer production capability in response to structural changes in global energy, agriculture and fertilizer markets. The company is hosting a virtual investor update meeting today at 10:30 am EDT and will provide details on its strategic growth and capital allocation plans at this event.

“The challenge of feeding a growing world has never been clearer as global supply constraints have contributed to higher commodity prices and escalated concerns for global food security. There is no simple or fast solution to overcome this challenge and we see potential for multi-year strength in agriculture and crop input market fundamentals,” said Ken Seitz, Nutrien’s Interim President and CEO.

“Nutrien’s integrated business is best positioned to respond to these supply challenges and help sustainably feed a growing world. We are safely bringing on additional low-cost potash and nitrogen production from our existing facilities, while delivering the products, services and solutions growers need through our leading global Retail network,” added Seitz.

Accelerating Potash Production Ramp-Up

Nutrien is accelerating the ramp-up of its annual potash production capability to 18 million tonnes by 2025 in response to the uncertainty of supply from Eastern Europe. This represents an increase of more than 5 million tonnes, or 40 percent, compared to our production in 2020. The acceleration pathway is through existing low-cost capacity that is unmatched in the industry and supported by world-class global logistics infrastructure. The incremental production capability is expected to be added at a similar annual pace to the additions over the past two years.

To boost production, the company will hire and train approximately 350 people and invest in underground mining equipment, mine development, storage and loadout capacity. Nutrien continues to evaluate additional low-cost brownfield expansion opportunities beyond 18 million tonnes at its Saskatchewan mines that would supply longer-term market demand growth.

 “The strength of our expected cash flow provides an opportunity to accelerate our strategic growth initiatives and return significant cash to shareholders. The additional planned share repurchases announced today reflect our confidence in Nutrien’s near-term earnings and the potential for a more robust long-term outlook,” said Pedro Farah, Nutrien’s Executive Vice President and CFO.

 Ramping up potash production capability to 18