Thursday, 28 May 2026
ADM is deepening its regenerative agriculture footprint in India through a new partnership with international non-profit TechnoServe, targeting 15,000 soybean farmers across Maharashtra under its global Farm Forward Initiative, a platform focused on improving climate resilience, productivity, and sustainability in agriculture systems.
The 18-month programme, funded by a $500,000 commitment from ADM Cares, will be implemented across four key soybean-producing districts—Latur, Dharashiv, Beed, and Nanded—regions that are increasingly exposed to climate variability, soil degradation pressures, and input cost volatility.
At the core of the initiative is the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices designed to improve soil organic health, enhance water-use efficiency, and optimise fertiliser and crop protection application. ADM and TechnoServe aim to shift farming behaviour toward more input-efficient and climate-resilient production systems without compromising yield stability.
The programme will support farmers in transitioning toward practices such as improved soil management, diversified input use strategies, and better agronomic decision-making, aligned with India’s broader sustainable agriculture priorities.
The initiative will begin with a structured scoping and baseline assessment phase, including soil health analysis, water availability mapping, and field-level diagnostics. These assessments will leverage existing government-backed agricultural datasets and digital infrastructure to create farm-level recommendations.
Based on these insights, participating farmers will receive tailored agronomic guidance aimed at improving productivity while reducing unnecessary input usage. This data-driven approach is intended to move beyond generalized advisory models toward more precision-based farming support.
A central feature of the programme is the establishment of approximately 200 demonstration plots across participating villages over two cropping seasons. These plots will function as applied learning sites where farmers can directly observe regenerative practices in real field conditions.
The demonstration sites will showcase:
Soil health improvement techniques over time
Water conservation practices under variable rainfall conditions
Optimized input application methods
Yield stability comparisons under regenerative vs. conventional practices
By providing side-by-side visibility, the initiative aims to accelerate farmer confidence and adoption of new techniques.
To ensure long-term sustainability beyond the 18-month programme, ADM and TechnoServe will develop eight Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) hubs across the region.
These FPOs will serve as institutional anchors providing:
Aggregated input procurement and cost efficiencies
Agronomic advisory services and training access
Market linkage facilitation for soybean producers
Continued extension support after programme completion
The objective is to institutionalise support systems that persist beyond direct programme funding.
A key pillar of the initiative is the integration of digital agriculture tools with government-led platforms. The programme will leverage Maharashtra’s Maha-Agri Tech initiative, which uses satellite imaging, geospatial analytics, and drone-based field monitoring to deliver farm-level intelligence.
Farmers will gain access to:
Real-time crop health monitoring
Pest and disease early warning insights
Field condition tracking through remote sensing
Precision advisory services via platforms such as the Mahavistar app
This digital layer is intended to support more timely and informed decision-making, particularly around input application timing and resource optimisation.
ADM and TechnoServe said the programme is designed not only to improve environmental outcomes but also to strengthen farmer incomes through:
Improved yield consistency
Reduced input costs through precision application
Enhanced resilience to climate variability
Better access to structured advisory systems
The initiative also aims to create a replicable model for regenerative agriculture adoption that can be scaled across other crops and geographies in India and potentially across ADM’s wider Asia-Pacific sourcing network.
“At ADM, we believe that sustainable supply chains start with resilient farming communities,” said Amrendra Mishra, Managing Director, Ag Services & Oilseeds and Country Manager India, ADM. “This programme combines agronomy, technology, and partnerships to strengthen climate resilience while improving livelihoods and productivity at the farm level.”
TechnoServe Country Director India Joydeep Dutt said the partnership focuses on smallholder inclusion in agricultural transformation. “By combining deep field engagement with regenerative practices and digital tools, we aim to help farmers build more sustainable and profitable farming systems.”
The Farm Forward expansion in Maharashtra is positioned as a pilot-to-scale model for regenerative agriculture in India, combining corporate funding, NGO implementation expertise, and government digital infrastructure.
If successful, the approach could inform broader deployment across other soybean-growing regions and additional commodity value chains, reinforcing ADM’s long-term strategy to embed sustainability deeper into global agricultural sourcing networks.
