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Agrotech, Company News, World

SC Solutions’ I-SAT platform provides advanced satellite imagery and analytics, supporting Hunnicutt’s mission to be at the forefront of sustainable and precision agriculture practices

Hunnicutt Farms, a leading grower of corn, popcorn, soybeans, and feed corn, is advancing with its use of earth observation analytics by signing a contract with SC Solutions, Inc. SC Solutions’ I-SAT platform provides advanced satellite imagery and analytics, supporting Hunnicutt’s mission to be at the forefront of sustainable and precision agriculture practices.

“Our platform [I-SAT] takes high-resolution data to analyse key factors influencing corn growth, including soil health, moisture levels, and vegetation indices,” said Cliff Beek, CEO of SC Solutions. The differentiating output factor, according to Beek; “is the fusion of machine learning and space technology to progress agricultural practices.” 

Operating for over a century, Hunnicutt Farms has demonstrated an affinity for embracing innovative solutions. “Earth Observation technology aligns with our commitment to sustainability and precision farming,” expressed Brandon Hunnicutt, Owner Partner at Hunnicutt Farms, and a 5th generation Nebraska farmer. Hunnicutt added, “We’re excited about the potential to elevate our corn cultivation practices and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

Transforming vast swaths of raw data into actionable insights by leveraging advanced machine learning techniques, including deep learning and neural networks, I-SAT’s Precision Analytics offer an unparalleled deep dive into Earth’s observational data. The platform’s state-of-the-art AI analytics, hyperspectral capabilities, and intuitive visualisation techniques make complex earth observation data comprehensible, accessible, and actionable.

SC Solutions' I-SAT platform provides advanced satellite

Finance, Sustainability, World

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces import dependency, and addresses food security challenges arising from economic, climate, and regional political uncertainties

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Bank Respublika Open Joint Stock Company signed a 34 million Azerbaijan manat loan (around $20 million) to support women borrowers and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) involved in agricultural production, processing, and trade in Azerbaijan.

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces import dependency, and addresses food security challenges arising from economic, climate, and regional political uncertainties. Boosting the agriculture sector has significant potential to reduce poverty as most of the country’s food is produced by smallholder farmers.

“MSMEs are essential to lift incomes and create jobs in Azerbaijan, as they employ more than two-thirds of working people and nearly 40 per cent of registered women-owned businesses are in the agriculture sector. Bank Respublika is a longstanding reliable partner of ADB and its work aligns with ADB’s goal of improving food security, strengthening agriculture, and helping women to access finance, training, and markets. We look forward to our continued partnership with Bank Respublika” said Candice McDeigan, ADB’s Azerbaijan Country Director.

A majority of private businesses in Azerbaijan are MSMEs with almost half of them located in rural areas. Despite their importance, MSMEs struggle to access financial resources, making it harder for them to secure bank loans than larger firms. The country’s financial sector is slowly recovering from the impact of COVID-19 while currency-related risks continue to be a concern in the banking sector.

“Bank Respublika is a strong and valued partner due to its significant presence in rural areas, focus on MSMEs, and commitment to improving financial access for women and rural customers,” says Suzanne Gaboury, ADB Director General for Private Sector Operations. “This deal draws from our regional experience, particularly the advantages of using local currency to strengthen capital markets.”

ADB will also issue a Manat-denominated bond to support the loan. ADB will also work with Bank Respublika to promote gender equality through a professional development certification program for women employees and tailored financial services for female clients. ADB will work with Bank Respublika to develop gender-disaggregated loan data and provide training to loan agents on understanding women’s business concerns.

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces

Institutions, World

The cooperative sector employs more than a 100 million strong workforce

Leading cooperative sector experts have come together to form the World Cooperative Economic Forum (WCopEF) to give voice to over 3 million cooperatives spread across the globe, employing 10 per cent of the total workforce worldwide.

The WCopEF will endeavour to promote cooperative thinking and cooperative movement, in addition to raising issues and concerns of the sector with the governments and other stakeholders around the globe.

The 300 largest cooperatives in the world, it may be mentioned, generate over $ 2.1 trillion in revenue, providing many essential goods and services. In many countries, cooperatives make significant contributions to the national economy by addressing market failures, empowering marginalised people, creating employment opportunities, and supporting sustainable development.

“WCopEF journey is starting at the juncture of ideation of an equitable economy, tempered by pragmatism. We are transitioning to a new engagement with the international cooperative economic order. Several challenges have emerged, invoking the need for an independent forum that would critically examine the problems facing the sector and help develop coherent policy responses,” said Dileep Bhai Shanghai, one of the founder members of the Forum.

Shanghai, Chairman of the fertiliser major IFFCO and President of the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), had also earlier served as a member of parliament and a Minister in the Government of Gujarat.

Binod Anand, other founder members of the WCEF are members MSP Committee on Agriculture Reforms, Dr. Rakesh Arrawatia, Professor Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Ashish Anand, Founder Whrrl (www.WHR.loans).

“WCopEF will bring together, for the first time, co-operators, social scientists, cooperative economists and policymakers and myriad other stakeholders to brainstorm about the Social and Solidarity economy,” said Binod Anand.

The cooperative sector employs more than a

Acquaculture, Agro Universities, India, Live Stock, R&D

The MoU focused on facilitating visits for solving taxonomic ambiguities/enigmatic aquatic species through morphological and molecular approaches for their taxonomic resolutions.

ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, organised a “Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony” between ICAR-NBFGR and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) on at ICAR-NBFGR.

The MoU focused on sharing expertise and facilitating visits for solving taxonomic ambiguities/enigmatic aquatic species through morphological and molecular approaches for their taxonomic resolutions, facilitating knowledge exchange using the databases, studies on population genetics for critically endangered aquatic species, and barcoding of ‘State-fishes’ and fishes of Ramsar sites, etc. in aligning with national priorities, keeping the Sustainable Development Goals into account.

On this occasion, Dr Dhriti Banerjee, Director, ZSI inaugurated the ZSI section in the ICAR-NBFGR’s National Fish Museum & Repository and released fish seeds into the pond.

Dr Banerjee highlighted the need for the formation of a working group for the documentation and vulnerability assessment of fishes in the country. Dr. Uttam Kumar Sarkar, Director, ICAR-NBFGR, emphasised on the association of scientific research for understanding the life below waters.

Dr. C. Raghunathan, Additional Director, ZSI and Scientists from both organisations participated in the programme.

The MoU focused on facilitating visits for

R&D, Sustainability, World

The first-of-its-kind data highlights biochar’s potential to scale carbon removals as a win-win solution for people and the planet

Ground-breaking new research shows that carbon removal solution biochar can play a significant role in global emissions reductions at the global and national levels. The ancient farming practice can help countries mitigate climate change threats and decarbonise at scale while also adapting to the effects of climate change and unlocking economic and social benefits.

First developed by Indigenous communities in the Amazon thousands of years ago and now a rapidly expanding global industry, biochar is a material created by heating organic materials — such as forestry and crop residues — that would otherwise release emissions when decomposing. By converting these materials into biochar instead, carbon is locked for centuries to millennia. When used as a soil amendment, biochar can improve soil health and increase water and nutrient retention in soils, helping to both mitigate against and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Published in the peer-reviewed journal Biochar and commissioned by the International Biochar Initiative (IBI), the research quantifies biochar’s CDR potential across 155 countries, with net removal potential on a national and global scale, assuming a sustainable supply of no purpose-grown biomass quantities. Currently providing the vast majority of delivered carbon credits, biochar is an affordable, scalable, and readily available solution that, unlike other CDR methods, also provides environmental and social co-benefits like improved soil health leading to increased crop yields.

“This is the first research to quantify the significant role biochar can play in worldwide climate action and carbon removal strategies, at the level of individual countries. To scale biochar to its full potential, we now have a starting point of what is possible at the country level. By considering the climate impact of co-benefits such as fossil fuel displacement, improved crop yields, and healthier soil, we can also go farther, getting a better picture of biochar’s complete climate solution potential,” said Dr Thomas Trabold, co-author and research professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability. 

The report’s consideration of small-emitting countries is particularly significant. Though many small-emitting countries have contributed the least to climate change, they are experiencing its impacts disproportionately, from soil erosion to extreme weather. Biochar offers a circular and sustainable approach to climate change mitigation, giving these countries the opportunity to maximize carbon removal while increasing national and local revenues. It makes agricultural production more sustainable at all scales, from protecting soil security to creating employment opportunities at the community and commercial levels. For farmers facing multiple challenges related to climate change, biochar is a game-changer.

The first-of-its-kind data highlights biochar's potential to

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, India

In September, the delegation visited the Department of Food & Public Distribution in New Delhi to learn about fortified rice

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) facilitated a crucial learning visit for a high-level Nigerian delegation to India. India’s rice fortification journey inspired the delegation of government officials from ministries, health, food security and education departments, food regulatory bodies, and the private sector to advocate for mandatory integration of fortified rice in Nigeria’s food-based social safety networks.

This is one of the many delegations on fortified rice that the Government of India has hosted in partnership with WFP.

“This visit provided insights into India’s rice fortification. India’s approach involves strong government leadership that supports public delivery systems such as the Targeted Public Distribution System and other welfare schemes,” said John Uruakpa, Director of the Federal Ministry of Health, Government of Nigeria, who led the delegation.

“It was a pleasure to host the Promoting Rice Fortification in Nigeria (PRiFN) South-South Learning Visit to India. WFP has been partnering with governments at national and state levels, providing technical support, developing pilots, and engaging in social behaviour change campaigns to mainstream fortification in national programmes,” said Elisabeth Faure, Representative and Country Director for WFP in India. “We are confident that the learnings will be adapted to the Nigerian context with support from government, agencies, and companies in India.

In September, the delegation visited the Department of Food & Public Distribution in New Delhi to learn about fortified rice. They met India’s Food Safety Standards Authority and travelled to Odisha to understand the implementation of rice fortification programmes.

In September, the delegation visited the Department

Agrotech, Biofuel industry, Oilseeds, World

 MoU would leverage both companies’ existing capabilities to accelerate the research, processing, and commercialization of new and low carbon-intensity oilseeds.

ADM, a global leader in nutrition and agricultural origination and processing, and Syngenta Group, one of the world’s biggest agricultural technology companies, announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate in scaling research and commercialization of low carbon-intensity next-generation oilseeds and improved varieties to help meet skyrocketing demand for biofuels and other sustainably sourced products.

The MoU envisions a collaboration in which ADM and Syngenta would leverage their existing capabilities to accelerate the research, processing, and commercialization of new, low carbon-intensity oilseeds, such as Camelina, that are typically grown in the fallow period of a crop rotation.

The companies have broad capabilities including:

Syngenta’s R&D engine, which offers biotechnology support, seed treatments, and biologicals that further reduce the carbon intensity of crops, and agronomic knowledge from a network of local, field experts combined with excellent farmer relationships.

ADM’s global scale and logistical expertise, including unparalleled production and storage capabilities, a vast logistical network, and relationships with growers and customers spanning food, feed, fuel, industrial and consumer products.

ADM and Syngenta envision fostering partnerships with additional companies to support the creation, commercialization and processing of next-generation oilseeds. The companies expect to sign definitive agreements by the end of the year and are already advancing important work together around growing and processing next-generation varieties.

“This exciting MoU with Syngenta demonstrates how we are working with partners to bring the full value chain together to support new seed technologies,” said Greg Morris, president of ADM’s Ag Services & Oilseeds business. “It builds on our unique capabilities by creating a path to scale the processing of cover crops, a process we’ve already successfully piloted. We look forward to working with Syngenta to advance this work and continue to meet demand for sustainably sourced fuels and other products.”

“Syngenta is excited to join forces with ADM to bring more sustainable and profitable solutions to farmers,” said Justin Wolfe, President of Syngenta Global Seeds.  “Sustainability is a core enabler of our business strategy.  We believe collaborations, such as this one, are important ways to drive quicker innovation that delivers higher yield potential while carrying a lower impact to our environment. Work will begin in North America.”

“Farmers have always been stewards of the land,” said Alison Taylor, ADM’s chief sustainability officer. “We’re already expanding our partnerships with farmers through our re:generations™ regen ag program; this MoU represents another pathway for us to help them drive value by positioning their businesses to meet global demand for sustainably-sourced products.”

“Transforming agriculture will be fueled by innovation, but it must be achieved at scale,” said Daniel Vennard, Syngenta Group’s Chief Sustainability Officer. 

 MoU would leverage both companies’ existing capabilities

Agrotech, Company News, India

Zuari FarmHub initiated trials of the CropX system at Zuari Agri Innovation Centre in Solapur as well as select farmer fields across Karnataka & Maharashtra

Zuari FarmHub, a leading agritech company in India, announced its partnership with CropX Technologies, a global agri-tech company specializing in digital agronomic solutions. The collaboration aims to revolutionise farming practices by introducing real-time monitoring technology that empowers farmers with data-driven insights for enhanced productivity and sustainability.

Zuari FarmHub initiated trials of the CropX system at Zuari Agri Innovation Centre in Solapur as well as select farmer fields across Karnataka & Maharashtra. CropX offers a state-of-the-art hardware-enabled system that monitors critical agronomic parameters in real-time. These smart devices collect predictive soil data, combining it with additional data sources in and around the farm, and agronomic knowledge to generate recommendations on irrigation and nutrient management. This helps farmers to optimise resources and improve crop growth.

“We at Zuari FarmHub are thrilled to partner with a pioneering agri-tech company like CropX Technologies, that shares our vision of revolutionising agriculture through cutting-edge technology,” said Madan Pandey, MD & CEO of Zuari FarmHub. “By providing farmers with real-time data and precise recommendations, we are empowering them to maximize yields, reduce resource wastage, and ensure sustainable farming practices.”

“The collaboration with Zuari FarmHub represents an exciting opportunity to extend the reach of our innovative solutions to Indian farmers,” said Tomer Tzach, CEO of CropX Technologies. “By combining our agri-tech expertise with Zuari FarmHub’s deep understanding of the Indian agricultural landscape, we aim to re-vitalize industry practices.”

The collaboration between Zuari FarmHub and CropX Technologies signifies a major milestone in advancing precision agriculture in India. As the pilot progresses, Zuari FarmHub will appropriately roll out the CropX system in other regions of India.

Zuari FarmHub initiated trials of the CropX

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, India, Sustainability

16th Agricultural Science Congress gets underway in Kochi

Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said that in view of the increasing food demand, environmental degradation and the challenges posed by climate change, there is an urgent need to transform agri-food systems into sustainable enterprises through scientific innovations. He was speaking after inaugurating the 16th Agricultural Science Congress (ASC) in Kochi.

Rupala added that agricultural scientists should strive to infuse greater mechanisation in the agriculture production process and develop and popularise specialised farm implements for women in agriculture.

Union Minister shared his observation during the Sagar Parikrama drive that marine and inland water pollution has seriously affected aquatic life and coastal ecology. He exhorted the scientists to find lasting and sustainable solutions to address this perilous threat.

Sharing his enthusiasm, Rupala highlighted that traditional farm products such as pokkali rice need to be promoted and measures are to be taken to ensure profitability for the pokkali farmers. He suggested that minimising post-harvest losses is equivalent to boosting production and this can be achieved by focusing attention on advanced technological interventions.

Union Minister further added that the future of India’s agriculture depends a lot on how the accumulated scientific knowledge can be translated to commercial success.

Rupala also inaugurated the Agri Expo being held on the side-line of the event which showcases innovative agricultural technologies of public and private sector research institutes, universities, agro-industries, extension agencies and NGOs. The Union Minister gave away the Dr. B.P. Pal Award for Excellence in Agricultural Sciences, Dr. A.B. Joshi Memorial Lecture Award and several other NAAS awards to the recipients.

16th Agricultural Science Congress gets underway in

Company News, Finance, India, People

 Company welcomes new experts to spearhead agrifood advancements; Abhilash Sethi promoted to Investment Director.

Omnivore, India’s leading agritech venture capital firm, announced four strategic hires to lead key functions and strengthen the firm’s commitment to supporting innovations in agriculture and food systems.

Arindom Datta has joined Omnivore as a Senior Advisor after more than 16 years as the Executive Director, Rural & Development Banking/Advisory at Rabobank. Datta earlier served as the Director of CARE India, a non-profit empowering marginalized women and girls. He began his career at the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), where he worked for over ten years. With over three decades of experience, Datta’s wealth of industry insights will serve as an important asset in deploying Omnivore’s third fund.

Arindom Datta stated, “After many years of supporting Omnivore from the sidelines, I’m very excited to join the team. I look forward to deepening the fund’s investments in technology and data innovations for advancing sustainable agriculture and food systems.”

Omnivore has also hired Aaushi Sharma as a Senior Associate and Michelle Nazareth as an Associate.  Sharma was previously a part of the leadership programme at Bayer Crop Science, which she joined after completing her MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. She began her career at Honda R&D India (Power Products) followed by a stint at State Bank of India as an Agriculture Officer overseeing the farmer lending in a rural branch in Uttarakhand. Nazareth was previously a Consultant at Dalberg Advisors, which she joined after completing her postgraduate studies at The London School of Economics.

For the operations team, the firm has appointed Soumee Saha as the in-house Legal Manager.  Saha previously worked with AZB & Partners as an investment funds lawyer and earlier with Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas.

Finally, Abhilash Sethi has been promoted to the role of Investment Director. He joined Omnivore as a Principal in 2018 and worked closely with several portfolio companies, scouted opportunities, oversaw multiple transactions, and maintained relationships with strategic ecosystem partners. Sethi also led Omnivore’s exits from Eruvaka and MITRA.

“In the ever-evolving landscape of agritech innovation, Omnivore has consistently led the way armed with profound sectoral insights. As we welcome our new team members, we are reinforcing our commitment to steering the agritech revolution in India, backed by unmatched agrifood expertise,” remarked Mark Kahn, Managing Partner of Omnivore.

 Company welcomes new experts to spearhead agrifood

India, Oilseeds

SOPA demands government support to make protein supplements accessible for all and to address the volatility in crop yields and price fluctuations that impact farmers

The Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) has called on the government to expedite the proposed National Mission on Edible Oil (NMEO), which has been delayed for four years.

Recently speaking at the International Soy Conclave in Indore, Davish Jain, Chairman of SOPA said, “The increasing global demand for protein is a driving force behind the growth of the soya industry. The global soybean consumption has risen from 265 million tonnes in 2012-13 to 364 million tonnes in 2022-23, with India’s consumption increasing from 5 million tonnes to 11 million tonnes over the same period.”

Jain further emphasised the versatility of soya as a crop, which can be processed into various food and feed products. He called for government support to make protein supplements accessible for all and to address the volatility in crop yields and price fluctuations that impact farmers.

SOPA demands government support to make protein

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Animal Health, India, Live Stock, R&D

This technology may be used for faster multiplication of elite germplasm and resurrection of endangered horses or valuable/desired horse germplasm.

Continuing their success in producing the foal through Embryo transfer, scientists at Equine Production Campus, Regional Station, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Bikaner, Rajasthan for the first time in the country have produced a horse foal using an admixture of two technologies viz. frozen semen technology and Embryo transfer technology.

During the process of producing the viable embryos, frozen semen from a stallion was used for artificial insemination and the embryo was recovered from the inseminated mare on the 7.5th day after ovulation. The recovered embryo after flushing was transferred to the estrus-synchronised surrogate mare. The mare delivered a healthy female foal at 3:40 AM (IST) on 4th October 2023. The weight of the foal at birth was 35 Kg. This foal developed through these assisted reproductive technologies has been named ‘Raj-Himani’.

This technology may be used for faster multiplication of elite germplasm and resurrection of endangered horses or valuable/desired horse germplasm. The combination of semen cryopreservation and embryo transfer technology in the production of foal will greatly benefit the farmers, equine rearers involved in racing, sports and other commercial activities for replicating their own elite horses or elite animals having reproductive disorders.

Dr. TK Bhattacharya, Director, ICAR-NRC on Equines said the population of equines in India is dwindling at a faster rate India and infertility and non-reproducing mares are also one of the reasons for this. The technology could also be applied to those animals which do not respond to the conventional infertility treatment regimes, he added.

Dr. SC Mehta, Head, Regional Station, Equine Production Campus, ICAR-NRC on Equines, Bikaner said the technology would have a tremendous impact on the conservation and propagation of superior indigenous horses in the country.

This embryo transfer foal using cryopreserved semen was developed by Dr TR Talluri, Sr. Scientist and his team of ICAR-NRC on Equines (Dr Yash Pal, Dr SC Mehta, Dr RA Legha, Dr RK Dedar, Dr Sajjan Kumar, Dr. Jitender Singh, Shri Paswan and others).

This technology may be used for faster

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, India

More than 2,165 FPOs of 8 lakh farmers are doing business through online platform ONDC.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Small Farmers Agri-Business Association (SFAC), and CSC jointly organized a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) Mela at INA Market, Delhi Haat. Major FPOs from across the country participated in the fair, displaying a wide range of products from more than 20 FPOs. Visitors had the opportunity to taste and experience the essence of natural products at the fair.

FPOs are groups of farmers that run commercial activities related to farming and crop production in their area. They provide farmers with discounts on wholesale prices of agricultural inputs, such as manure, seeds, fertilizers, and equipment, and also help farmers sell their finished crops and produce in the market. FPOs are playing a vital role in boosting the rural economy.

To make it easier for farmers to access markets, the government has either formed or is in the process of forming an FPO in every block in the country. Today, more than 2,165 FPOs of 8 lakh farmers are doing business through the online platform ONDC.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director & CEO, CSC SPV, Sanjay Rakesh said that CSC has always strived to improve the lives of citizens in rural areas through various initiatives. Farmers and agriculture are an integral part of our initiative.

 Thanks to the vast network of CSCs present in remote areas of the country, we are already providing various services to the farmers through tele-consultation, crop insurance, e-veterinary, Kisan Credit Card and PM Kisan schemes.

In this context, we are working with full enthusiasm in the formation of FPOs across the country. Our VLEs through FPOs are playing a big role in the empowerment of farmers across the country. CSCs provide rural citizens with access to a variety of government services at their doorstep, such as caste, income, domicile, character certificates, and employment registration.

 Through these services, CSCs have played a remarkable role in helping the people of India in the field of e-governance. More than 5.5 lakh CSCs located in remote areas of the country have changed the lives of the citizens.

According to an estimate, there are more than 12 crore small and marginal farmers in India, with an average land holding size of less than 1.1 hectares. Most small and marginal farmers need access to both production and post-production functions, such as technology, quality inputs at reasonable prices, seed production, units of farming machinery, value added products, processing, credit, investment, and most importantly, markets. Collectivisation of such producers through formation of FPOs is crucial to address these challenges and increase farmers’ income.

The FPO Mela held in Delhi Haat was a successful event that showcased the wide range of products and services offered by FPOs. It also provided a platform for farmers to learn about the benefits of joining FPOs and how to access FPO services.

More than 2,165 FPOs of 8 lakh

AgroPolicy, Animal Health, India, Live Stock

‘A-HELP’ program aims to empower women by engaging them as Accredited Agent who contribute significantly to disease control, animal tagging and livestock insurance.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India launched the ‘A-HELP’ (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) programme in the State of Jharkhand today. Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Co-operative, Govt. of Jharkhand, Badal Patralekh was the chief guest of the programme. This program was launched in the gracious presence of Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, GoI, Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Co-operative, Govt. of Jharkhand, Aboobacker Siddique P., Sr. General Manager, National Dairy Development Board Lalit Prasad Karan were also present.

Minister, Badal Patralekh emphasized the importance of role of women in the overall development of the state’s livestock sector. He spoke about the ‘A-HELP’ program, which aims to empower women by engaging them as Accredited Agent who contribute significantly to disease control, animal tagging, and livestock insurance.  He highlighted that the new scheme would enhance access to veterinary services at the farmer’s doorstep and empower Pashu Sakhis. Badal Patralekh said that this endeavour serves as an exemplary integration of women’s power, fostering socio-economic progress.

Alka Upadhyaya participated in the event virtually.  She highlighted the pivotal role played by livestock and women in the comprehensive development of the livestock sector and congratulated the State Govt. for being one of the States with a growing livestock sector. She further added that this new band of community-based functionaries, named Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production (A-HELP) has been formulated to fill the void between local veterinary institutions and livestock owners and provide primary health services and will serve as Livestock Resource Persons and Primary Service Providers.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) is embarking on a novel initiative named as “A-HELP” (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) and has already initiated across different States/UTs including Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) has launched the novel initiative through an MoU signed between DAHD and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Govt. of India.

During the launch event, A-HELP Kits were distributed to Pashu Sakhis, and the event witnessed substantial participation, with more than 500 attendees, including progressive farmers and Pashu Sakhis. This initiative signifies a significant step forward in promoting livestock health, extension services, and women’s empowerment in the region, potentially leading to improved livestock productivity and rural development.

'A-HELP' program aims to empower women by