Cargill, TechnoServe to train 10,000 maize growers of Davanagere in regenerative farming

Major commodities company Cargill, in partnership with TechnoServe, plans to promote regenerative and sustainable farming on approximately 25,000 acres of farmland in the prime maize producing area of ​​Davanagere, in Karnataka, over the next four years.

The partnership between the two entities named ‘Srishti’ will empower about 10,000 maize farming families in Davanagher by training them to use regenerative agriculture to improve soil health, sequester carbon, and improve water quality and use.

Simon George, President of Cargill India, said, “Renewable agriculture starts on the farm. This is why Cargill supports farmer-led efforts to expand regenerative agriculture globally and why we started this program in Davanagere to make a lasting impact on farmers’ livelihoods and productivity on the go.” The Long Term. Leveraging on our deep expertise in food and agriculture, coupled with TechnoServe’s success in sustainable development programmes, this partnership will enhance the transformation of India’s agricultural landscape and deliver positive environmental outcomes.”

George said Cargill will invest around $2 million in implementing the “Srishti” initiative, which will also address critical challenges such as water conservation, access to finance, and improved market linkages, ensuring a holistic approach to sustainable agricultural development.

“Over the next four years, the program will support 10,000 farming families in building climate-resilient livelihoods by enabling the adoption of regenerative farming practices and water conservation. The economic empowerment of women from these farming households will also be one of the Program focus areas.

Gupta said the initiative will help farmers adopt regenerative practices such as dam planting of crops like moringa, cover crops and reduced tillage, sustainably expand water harvesting capacity of farming households through farming ponds and recharge wall structures, and promote sustainable use of community land in order to ensure afforestation of degraded rangelands. .

The initiative will also focus on collaborating with Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as focal points for farmer outreach and engagement, along with accessing required inputs for regenerative practices and promoting rewarding market linkages.

The initiative was announced on Wednesday in the presence of Ronald P. Verdnock, Minister Counselor in the US Embassy’s Office of Agricultural Affairs, along with the leadership teams of Cargill and Technoserv, a statement said.

“The inauguration of the Cargill initiative this week is certainly timely, in light of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US and the meetings he’s had with several US companies to hear about the growing business relationships and proximity to the companies and their customers, both there in the US and here in India. Cargill’s Renewable Agriculture Initiative is an apt example of the strengthened partnership between our two countries and, in the case of this program, how a world-leading US multinational is investing to strengthen the sector of the Indian economy that provides more jobs than any other and over 15 percent of output GDP,” Verdnock said.