Cultivating Gender Inclusive Agri Value Chain

Discussions focused on real world issues and solutions in inclusive agripreneurship. Ms. Elisabeth Faure, Country Director, UN WFP, emphasized the need for inclusive agricultural functions to create an equitable, efficient, and sustainable food system. She further highlighted the need for empowering women with comprehensive support mechanism can drive significant progress in agriculture and ensure long term food security.

"Women in India play an integral role in the agricultural industry, with over eighty percent of rural women employed in agricultural systems. Despite their invaluable contributions, they face systemic inequalities resulting in less pay and limited access to resources and opportunities. Having worked closely with female farmers, I have witnessed firsthand the dedication of women who run our fields. At Yara, we work towards closing the gap by investing in gender-responsive training and resource support, ensuring every woman in agriculture grows, thrives and succeeds."

Sanjiv Kanwar, Managing Director, Yara South Asia

Women farmers scripting success stories in Shimla’s apple orchards.

Sushma Mehta, an orchardist from Pamlahi, once struggled with low-quality apples and poor returns at the Mandi. However, she was keen to learn and adopt new agricultural practices. Our agronomists and representatives introduced the Yara balanced crop nutrition plan — a plan customized to suit her farm’s specific needs. After its implementation, she experienced better yields, shinier apples and improved earnings.

With additional income, Sushma saw a new opportunity. She began processing surplus apples into delicious chutneys under her own brand “Pahadi Zaika.” Today, Sushma leads a self-help group that supports 8 women in their livelihoods. With Yara’s support, Sushma didn’t just grow apples, she grew opportunities for herself and her community.

Cultivating Gender Inclusive Agri Value Chain

Yara and FICCI recently convened a roundtable meeting to address the challenges and explore solutions for promoting inclusivity in the agri value chain. The event brought together key voices from the UN World Food Programme, Norwegian Embassy, IFC, CSIR, NRLM-DAY, HarvestPlus, Solidaridad and others. Discussions focused on real-world issues and solutions in inclusive agripreneurship.

Ms. Elisabeth Faure, Country Director, UN WFP, emphasized the need for inclusive agricultural functions to create an equitable, efficient, and sustainable food system. She further highlighted the need for empowering women with comprehensive support mechanisms that can drive significant progress in agriculture and ensure long-term food security.

Innovating for a Sustainable Future

Speaking at the CII Sustainable Agriculture Summit, Sanjiv emphasized that sustainability could only be achieved through constant innovation. He added that to sustain and improve agriculture’s current contribution to GDP, the sector needs to grow three times its current size. This resonated with keynote address from Alka Arora, AS – Department of Agricultural Research and Education, where she highlighted the need for collaborative approaches to lay the foundation of sustainability in agriculture.

At Yara, we’re committed to transforming the food systems through innovative solutions to empower farmers to adopt regenerative agricultural practices.

Adapting to a Changing Climate

At the Hindu Agri & Commodity Summit, Sanjiv represented Yara as a key panelist and emphasized the need for collaborative innovation to address climate challenges in agriculture. He pointed out that Indian farmers are nearly five years behind their global peers in accessing advanced solutions, highlighting the need and urgency to bridge this technological gap. He also advocated for strong public-private partnerships to support crop diversification, reduce post-harvest losses and empower farmers through access to quality education and improved market integration.

From Grains to Gains

Nurturing Rural Women Entrepreneurs

With support from Yara Kiran and the Manjari Foundation, 24 self-help groups have been trained to build sustainable livelihoods. One such group, Aarti Mahila Mandal from Mehua Hassanganj, has created successful business by transforming local grains into nutritious flour. They have already earned up to INR 50,000 by selling to residents of Yara Babrala township. Now, they aim to scale up their business with a goal to earn 4–5 lac over the next two years. These women SHGs aren’t just working towards financial independence but also inspiring communities.

Hall of Fame Yara India was honoured with the Women Achievers Award for Public Affairs & Communication by exchange4media. This honor reflects our commitment to impactful communication, meaningful exchange and driving positive change.