Council for Strategic Affairs

States

Haryana

Punjab

It has initiated the Crop Residue Management (CRM) programme, saving over 420,000 acres in Haryana and Punjab from stubble burning in 2021. Committed to ending this harmful practice, it collaborates with the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) to utilize the environmentally friendly PUSA decomposer, decomposing stubble within 20-25 days. Through mechanized spraying offered on their app, over 25,000 farmers have treated more than 5,00,000 acres. With a focus on personalized guidance, a team of Krishi Mitras supports farmers in adopting sustainable practices. The organisation actively verifies protocols, monitors farmers, and collaborates with IIM-Rohtak for robust implementation. As part of the OpenAg™ network and in partnership with UPL Group, IARI, and IIM-Rohtak, it envisions a digital platform for global sustainable agriculture, urging others to join the movement for a sustainable farm and earth.

Nurture.farm's Academy, launched in April 2021, aims to empower rural India through learning and development, addressing the vital role of agriculture and agri-allied sectors in the country's economy. Recognizing the significance of these sectors for livelihoods and GDP contribution, nurture.farm focuses on creating sustainable solutions by generating blue-collar jobs and providing comprehensive education, training, and certification through its Academy. The programme, which received recognition for its social impact, offers diverse training programmes, both online and offline, covering agricultural knowledge, machine operation, digital sales, and soft skills. By fostering skill development, accredited certifications, and employment opportunities, the Academy strives to enhance career paths, promote diversity hiring in agriculture, and contribute to the growth of the rural workforce.

Nurture.farm is actively addressing the invisibility of women farmers in India by launching the "Women in Agriculture" (WiA) programme. Recognizing the significant but often unacknowledged contributions of women, who perform labour-intensive tasks in the fields, the programme aims to create equal opportunities for them in agriculture. Through initiatives like hiring women field partners (Krishi Mitras), nurturing all-women teams, and providing training on farm machinery, nurture.farm is not only increasing the representation of women in agriculture but also promoting financial independence and skill development. With a "pay per effort" model, women have emerged as top performers, earning up to INR 22,000 per month. The organisation's focus on empowering women extends beyond the fields, with plans to link them to market opportunities for harvesting and post-harvest processing, fostering long-term career development and economic empowerment.