Monsanto launches initaitive to improve farmers' lot

Monsanto India has launched an initiave called SHARE (sustainable harvest - agriculture, resources, environment) - to improve farmers’ lives as part of its commitment to help increase global food production in the face of growing demand, limited natural resources and a changing climate.

Under the project, the company is planning to identify 10,000 corn and cotton farmers across Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh to improve their socio-economic conditions by increasing crop productivity. This is a four-year programme which Monsanto is planning to kick off during the current kharif season.

Delhi-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) ISAP (Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals) will conduct a study to identify small and marginal farmers from the three states. The initiative aims to extend all round support to small-scale farmers. The project entails guidance to sowing, pest and weed management, harvesting, marketing access and, most importantly, funding from local banks.

Farming will be sustainable through access to high-yielding seeds and agriculture inputs, training and education on best agronomic practices, formation of farmer groups to enable collective bargaining power, increased exposure to Krishi Vigyan Kendras, state agriculture universities and modern technology demonstration units, creation of self-help groups (SHGs) to benefit women, and better market linkages.

“Currently, the study is underway and, hopefully, we will begin the project in the kharif season,” said Sekhar Natarajan, India regional head of Monsanto Holdings.

According to government estimates, India’s population is estimated to touch 1.3 billion by 2017 and the country may be short of 14 million tonnes of foodgrains. Looking at the population growth and shrinking acreage under various crops, bridging the shortfall is one of the most challenging task the country will be facing. But, biotech-enhanced crop can resolve this problem without compromising quality of foodgrains as the genetically-modified crops pass through several rounds of litmus tests before commercialising, said Natarajan.