Syngenta Foundation India (SFI)

The Syngenta Foundation helps marginalized Indian farmers adopt improved technologies for better productivity and income through diverse partnerships and projects.

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About

  • Headquarters

    Pune, Maharashtra

  • Since

    2005

From its inception, Syngenta Foundation India (SFI) mission has been to empower small and marginal farmers in agricultural development. This involves Read moreimproving their access to quality seeds, enhancing their agronomic knowledge, facilitating credit, and establishing market connections, all with the goal of increasing their income. Currently, SFI is engaged in various initiatives to realize these objectives, such as market-led extension in vegetables, seed production in hybrid rice and vegetables, promoting allied services like goat farming and dairy, supporting agri-entrepreneurship for expanding market-led extension, facilitating credit access for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs, establishing a Portfolio Guarantee Fund to assist first-time entrepreneurs in obtaining credit, introducing a credit scoring framework for agri-entrepreneurs, emphasizing bio-control production, piloting new insurance solutions, branding indigenous varieties with added benefits for the modern market, implementing community-based solar irrigation projects, setting up community-owned agro-processing units, developing an end-to-end enterprise platform to enhance transparency and knowledge transfer, and conducting demonstration plots to directly benefit validated farmers.

Impact

As of December 2019, • SURYA has trained 2145 candidates • 325 opted to become agri-entrepreneur, and 145 operate their own enterprises • 452 women have completed their training and female participation in agricultural development has grown • 243 Agriculture Technology Assistants (ATAs) were sponsored by the Maharashtra State Government under their UMED Program, of which 210 were women • 663 candidates have been placed on campus across 120-agri-business companies Agri-entrepreneur model - A total of 2666 entrepreneurs serve approximately 220,000 farmers.

Programs

  • AE Enterprise Platform

    The AE Enterprise platform serves project officers, AE mentors, and primarily AEs in their daily activities, including input demand management and market linkages. Ultimately, small and marginal farmers benefit from this platform.
    It addresses nine crucial stages, encompassing screening, selection, learning, development, incubation, data consolidation, farmer training, crop planning, loans, credit linkage, produce marketing, and technology infrastructure acquisition.
    The platform aims to shift farmers' perspectives from viewing agriculture as subsistence to recognizing its potential for significantly boosting income. Farmers accessing the platform gain regional language information sharing, interactive technical training videos, motivational content, and exposure to local success stories, fostering a network of information, buyers, sellers, and advisors.

  • Agri-Entrepreneur Model

    Each Agricultural Entrepreneur (AE) collaborates with 150-200 farmers in a cluster spanning 4-5 villages, serving as a comprehensive resource for small and marginal farmers' agricultural needs. AE selection criteria include residence in the village cluster and basic educational qualifications (minimum Class X).
    While agri-entrepreneur models have been previously attempted in India, many existing AEs primarily function as input dealers, often selling substandard agri-inputs. In contrast, SFI-supported AEs engage in activities like seed distribution and market linkage, contributing to increased farmer incomes. SFI and their partner NGOs closely supervise AEs, enforcing strict policies that terminate financial support from IDBI if AEs engage in deceptive or illegal activities.
    Each AE plays four vital roles:
    1. Supplying quality inputs.
    2. Offering crop advisory and knowledge.
    3. Facilitating market connections.
    4. Assisting with credit access.

  • Skill Upgradation for Rural Youth in Agriculture (SURYA)

    SURYA operates in seven locations with the primary goal of training youth as Agricultural Technology Assistants (ATAs) or extension agents, equipping them with essential skills. The model anticipates that, from a batch of 25 ATAs, 7-8 candidates will qualify for the AE program. To effectively execute various development projects, efficient "last-mile" agents are in demand. SFI aims to train rural youth, termed "agri-entrepreneurs," capable of offering agricultural services to small-holder farmers. These candidates undergo an intensive 45-day residential program, emerging as competent Agricultural Technology Assistants with region-specific skills.
    The training employs diverse interactive methods, with 65% classroom learning involving communication, collaboration, field visits, assignments, and presentations. Additionally, 19% is allocated to exposure visits for practical enterprise understanding, and 16% focuses on AE attachments with established Agri-Entrepreneurs.

  • Solar Powered Lift Irrigation System

    This project operates in a small Indian village with 554 residents and 289 hectares of cultivated land. Initially, vegetable farmers faced challenges due to an unreliable diesel-powered irrigation scheme, causing them to focus on rain-fed paddy production. To address this, the Syngenta Foundation India (SFI) and Syngenta India Limited (SIL) collaborated, with SIL covering 60% of the project cost through their Corporate Social Responsibility program. They installed a solar-powered lift irrigation system for the Five Brothers Irrigation Committee (Panch Bandhu Sinchai Samiti), enabling vegetable cultivation, a more profitable venture. SFI provides technical support and crop advice. The project aims to promote sustainable solutions, encouraging diversification into vegetable farming to boost income and livelihoods.

Leadership Team

  • Susheel Kumar

    Managing Director

  • Rafael Del Rio

    Non-Executive Chairman

  • Meenal Maheshwari

    Whole Time Director and Head of Finance

  • Narendra Kulkarni

    Whole Time Director

Demographics & Structure

  • No. of Employees

    100+

M&E

  • Internal, External Assessors

    No

Policies

  • Ethics and Transparency Policies

    No

  • Formal CEO Oversight & Compensation Policy

    No

Political & Religious Declarations

  • On Affiliation if any

    No

  • On Deployment Bias if any

    No

Registration Details

  • Registration ID

    U91120PN2005PTC139186

  • VO ID / Darpan ID

    MH/2017/0169834

  • FCRA

    083930555

  • CSR Registration Number

    Not Available

Location

Other Details

  • Parent Organisation

    Syngenta Group

  • Type & Sub Type

    For-profit
    Private Limited Company