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HomePosts Tagged "Pragati"
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Sustainable Castor Caring for Environmental and Social Standards (SuCCESS) code the first global standard that certifies castor oil and its derivatives – such as bio-based polyurethane.

 BASF together with the world’s first castor bean program ‘Pragati’ (Pragati), introduces certified traceability for bio-based solutions in footwear. Pragati was established with the unified sustainability code SuCCESS (Sustainable Castor Caring for Environmental and Social Standards) that sets a standard for certified sustainable castor oil.

“The footwear segment has been at the forefront of implementing sustainable solutions at BASF. With the availability of certified traceable bio-based polyurethane solutions, we are well-positioned to serve the growing demand for eco-friendly solutions for the footwear business in Asia,” said Andy Postlethwaite, Senior Vice President, Performance Materials Asia Pacific, BASF.

The demand for sustainable footwear solutions has been growing steadily in tandem with consumer awareness. Footwear brands and manufacturers have a clear goal to enhance the sustainability aspects of their products without compromising on cost, performance or quality. Bio-based solutions offer enhanced sustainability by reducing fossil resource consumption. Additionally, castor oil is derived from the seeds of the non-edible castor oil plant (Ricinus communis). As it can grow in arid or semi-arid regions, it requires less water as well. The dried beans also have a long shelf life.

“Meanwhile, we are looking to extend the use of this bio-based solution to other segment applications as well,” added Postlethwaite.

Pragati was launched in May 2016 in Gujarat, India as the region produces about 70% of the world’s supply of castor beans. Over 7,000 hectares of generally semi-arid land are now farmed according to the SuCCESS sustainability code since its introduction in the region. More than 7,000 farmers have been trained, audited, and certified. Over 74,500 tons of certified castor seeds have been cultivated, and year 7 yield is 36% higher than the yield published by the local government for this region.

Sustainable Castor Caring for Environmental and Social

Agrotech, Sustainability

Over 5,800 farmers have been trained, audited, and certified under the Pragati programme

The founding members of the Pragati project for sustainable castor crop – Arkema, BASF SE, Jayant Agro-Organics along with implementation partner Solidaridad –finalised and published the final audited and certified results of the fifth year of their programme.

In December 2021, the members updated the impacts of the programme so far:

  • Over 5,800 farmers have been trained, audited, and certified in total – an increase of 27 per cent in programme year five compared to the year before
  • 36,000 tonne of certified castor seed has been cultivated – an increase of 50 per cent in programme year five compared to the previous year
  • Yield has improved over 35 per cent versus comparable yield published by local government in the region for 2020-2021
  • Over 13,300 hectares are now being farmed following the SuCCESS sustainable castor code 
  • Approx. 6,300 safety kits and crop protection product boxes have been distributed free of charge
  • Water consumption has been lowered by approx. 35 per cent in the demo plots where accurate measurement and control is in place
  • Farmers from more than 69 villages in North Gujarat now participate in the programme

‘With our joint efforts in this programme, we support the sustainable production of castor beans to establish sustainable supply chains that amongst others increase the yields and income of the farmers,’ said Karin Wagner, responsible for castor oil and derivatives procurement at BASF.

The farmer safety kits are provided by BASF. They include disposable respirators, safety glasses and gloves, as well as easy-to-understand, picture-based instructions that show where, when and how to use each personal protection item, along with instructions on how to handle chemicals safely.

The Pragati project was launched in May 2016 driven by a baseline survey of more than 1,000 castor farmers in Gujarat, India, where the majority of the world’s castor supply originates. 

The goal of the project is to enable sustainable castor crop production by:

  • Using good agricultural practices to increase yield and farmer income
  • Efficiently using water resources and maintaining soil fertility
  • Driving adoption of good waste management practices
  • Enabling better health and safety practices and respecting human rights

Over 5,800 farmers have been trained, audited,