Regenerative farming: Cargill to invest $2 million with TechnoServe to train Karnataka farmers

American food commodity conglomerate Cargill has partnered with TechnoServe for the promotion of regenerative farming in Karnataka. The partnership called SRISHTI will take up the training of 10,000 farmers to cover the sustainable agriculture on 25,000 acres of farmland in Davanagere in Karnataka. The training will take place over a period of next four years in the key maize producing region of South India.

Regenerative agriculture refers to a holistic farming system that focuses on soil health, food quality, biodiversity, and water & air quality. Cargill will be investing USD 2 million on the project.

Under ‘Srishti’ of Cargill, farmers will learn ways to improve the health of soil, carbon sequestration and improve water content and quality in the soil.

TechnoServe is an global organisation that helps poor communities to come out of poverty through business development initiatives.

The focus areas

Under the program, Cargill will train the Karnataka farmers in sustainable farming like bund plantations, low tillage, cover cropping, water harvesting through farm ponds and afforestation of degraded pastures.

The Cargill initiative will look to collaborate with farmer producer organisations (FPOs) to generate awareness, step up their knowledge base about regenerative farming and enhancing remunerative market linkages.

Simon George, President, Cargill in India, said on the regenerative farming initiative their programme in Davanagere will create lasting impact on farmers’ livelihoods and long-term productivity. “Leveraging our deep experience in the food and agriculture domain, coupled with TechnoServe’s success in sustainable development programmes, this partnership will foster transformation in the agricultural landscape in India and bring positive environmental outcomes,” said Cargill President.

Talking on sustainable form of agriculture, Punit Gupta, Country Director, TechnoServe India, said that over the next four years of SRISHTI programme, the economic empowerment of women from these farming households will also be a focus area.