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HomePosts Tagged "Sustainable Development Goals"
Company News, India, Sustainability

CNRI is the national network of non-government organisations and people’s organisations working for development effectiveness and democratic governance in India

Confederation of NGOs of Rural India (CNRI) has proposed the creation of a global forum – World Cooperative Economic Forum – to democratise the global value chain for innovative food systems amid rising concerns over inequality in the post-Covid world.

New Delhi-based CNRI is the national network of non-government organisations and people’s organisations working for development effectiveness and democratic governance in India.

Addressing the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Secretary General of CNRI Binod Anand said he comes from a country where thousands of years ago, the concept of social and solidarity economy was expressed differently.”

“It is heartening to notice India has become home for cooperative Movement and helping the civil society create – World Cooperative Economic Forum- will go a long way in developing Social and Solidarity Economy,” Binod Anand said.

Anand also strongly advocated exploring SDG bonds as a new source of capital for raising vital resources for humanitarian projects in the post-COVID world.

Anand said the world is compelled to reconsider the issue of rising inequality, which has cast doubts on the successful implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Poverty itself bears multiple definitions.

To illustrate the point, he said two successful cases from India can be highlighted here.

In the private sector, Dhanuka AgriTech’s sustainable agriculture initiative stands as a significant milestone. This initiative honours farmers with the slogan ‘India Ka Pranam Har Kisan ke Naam’ (Salutations to every farmer). It not only educates grassroots farmers about Sustainable Development Goals but also supports their efforts in practising sustainability within the Crop Protection sector, thus contributing to National Food Security.

CNRI is the national network of non-government

People, World

His new term will begin from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2027

QU Dongyu re-elected to a second term as Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

In the ballot by FAO member countries, Qu received 168 out of 182 votes deposited.

Nominated by China, Qu was the only candidate for FAO’s top position in the election. His new term will begin from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2027.

The election took place on the second day of the FAO Conference (1-7 July).

Since being elected FAO Director-General for the first time in 2019, Qu has championed many reforms and initiatives to overhaul the Organisation’s business model, improving efficiency and implementing best practices that support programme and administrative effectiveness.

FAO’s transparency, visibility and reputation have continued to increase over the last four years amid significant global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and other protracted conflicts, economic downturns, and the intensifying climate crisis.

Qu has strongly advocated for the transformation of agrifood systems to make them more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable, with the ultimate goal of helping Members achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promote the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO has focused on boosting science and innovation and launched some important strategic initiatives. The Hand-in-Hand Initiative, for example, supports the implementation of nationally led, ambitious programmes to accelerate agrifood systems transformations. It uses advanced geospatial modelling and analytics and a robust partnership building to raise incomes, improve the nutritional status and well-being of poor and vulnerable populations, and strengthen resilience to climate change.

His new term will begin from 1

Company News, Finance, India, Institutions, Sustainability

This social financing to IndusInd Bank will be used by farmers to purchase farm equipment, crops, seeds, and fertilisers

Citi and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have announced a co-financing loan to IndusInd Bank. This includes a $30 million loan by Citi and JPY 13 billion ($97.6 million) loan by JICA. This high-impact social finance offering that Citi arranged for IndusInd Bank is expected to improve financial access for farmers and catalyse capital investment in the agricultural sector in India.

K Balasubramanian, head of the corporate bank for Citi in South Asia covering India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka said, “This social financing to IndusInd Bank will be used by farmers to purchase farm equipment, crops, seeds, and fertilisers, as well as by small agricultural supply chain service providers. This transaction, in which Citi collaborates with JICA, marks our first structured co-financing arrangement to support India’s agricultural sector”.

This agreement highlights Citi and JICA’s support for strengthening food security in the country through funding the agricultural sector and sustainable food systems.

Citi has committed $1 trillion to sustainable finance by 2030, as well as expanding access to basic services for 15 million underserved and low-income households, including 10 million women. This financing contributes to Goals 1, 8, and 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reducing disparities in India by helping improve financial access to projects that contribute to solving agricultural issues. It also helps contribute to food security amid concerns about high food prices and supply shortages due to instability in the global situation.

This social financing to IndusInd Bank will

Agrotech, Climate, Environment, India, R&D, Sustainability

The company’s Biochar Initiative continues to benefit local farmers while improving air and soil quality

PepsiCo India has extended its Biochar Initiative, a pilot crop residue management program, to the Fatehgarh Sahib and Ludhiana districts of Punjab as a potential solution to address the pressing issue of stubble burning in the northern states of India. This initiative will continue to work with more farmers in Punjab to better manage harvest residue by using furnaces known as retort kilns to produce biochar fertiliser through a process called pyrolysis.

According to Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), stubble burning in Punjab released 6.8 million tonnes of greenhouse gases and particulate matter between September 15 and November 2, 2022. Biochar production and usage have the potential to reduce GHG emissions significantly compared to other forms of disposal such as heaping while improving soil health and water retention.

PepsiCo India’s Biochar Initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). Through these efforts, the company also aims to improve the per-hectare crop yields for small and marginal farmers while contributing to global efforts to mitigate climate change.

Speaking about the initiative, Anukool Joshi, Director – Agro at PepsiCo India said, “Enhancing soil function and health using biochar can increase agricultural output and reduce expenses related to nutrient and environmental effects. In comparison to other crop residue management options, our preliminary data has shown increased net benefit to the farmers through the adoption of biochar.”

Today, PepsiCo in India works directly and indirectly with over 27,000 farmers across 14 states, sourcing 100 per cent of the potatoes for its Lay’s brand in India from Indian farmers.

Naginder Singh, an owner of the farm where PepsiCo India commissioned the first retort kiln, highlights the benefits he sees from adopting biochar: “PepsiCo India helped us to set up furnaces to produce biochar. After the biochar is prepared, we spread it into the fields that are ready for cultivation. I would recommend biochar to all farmers. Using it helps our soil and saves our environment from further pollution while reducing the use of chemical fertilisers”.

The company’s Biochar Initiative continues to benefit

Foodgrains, R&D, Start ups, Sustainability, World

A selection of enterprises that are helping transform agrifood systems are to receive tailor-made help

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the SEED partnership officially launched the SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme, an instrument designed to help agrifood system start-ups develop their businesses while contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alternative approaches and innovative solutions are needed to transform global agrifood systems in the face of challenges such as rapid population growth, economic downturns, extreme climates and changing consumption patterns.

During a virtual event held at FAO’s headquarters in Rome, 12 innovators from around the world used a workshop to showcase how they are contributing to the SDGs while supporting such a transformation in their local context.

The small- and medium-sized enterprises were selected among the hundreds that comprise the portfolio of the adelphi-hosted SEED partnership. They are to be supported by the programme in three areas: financial readiness, innovation potential, and market reach. The kind of help they will receive includes assistance in the development of business, marketing or investment plans, as well as advice on how to approach potential financiers or how to go digital.

“Together with SEED we want to explore how the innovators involved can make a difference in the transformation of agrifood systems locally as we work towards achieving the SDGs globally,” said Stefanos Fotiou, Director of FAO’s Office of Sustainable Development Goals. “Leveraging the network of innovators from SEED and nurturing local agrifood solutions through a tailored innovation support package opens new ways for FAO to have an on-the-ground impact.”

A selection of enterprises that are helping