The Walmart Foundation announced a grant of more than Rs 40 million today to help farmers in six Indian states deal with supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic while also sustaining their farming operations. The 6 states chosen for assistance are Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
"The grant will be presented to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and its partner organizations that are assisting their local communities in responding to COVID-19," the foundation stated in a press release.
"Farm operations in India have been plagued by issues such as the timely availability of inputs and a decline in consumer demand, which has had an impact on farmers' income. Prior to the post-harvest period in India, the grant will assist farmers in mitigating disruptions in the post-production supply chain while gaining market access.”
“It will also assist in meeting their financial needs for key inputs such as seeds and farm equipment by strengthening the operations and reach of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) "According to the press release.
According to the report, ICRISAT will collaborate with the eight organizations listed below to improve farmer support and resilience in India.
According to the report, Walmart's support has already reached over 1.4 lakh farmers, citing Walmart President Kathleen McLaughlin. 80,000 of these people are women. The company's current focus is on expanding digital access and logistical support.
"Farming communities around the world have faced difficulties due to limited access to farm inputs, markets, and equipment, putting entire seasons at risk." We are expanding our focus on digital access, business practices, logistical support, and high-quality inputs to help grow these small-scale farming communities in India, and our commitments have already reached over 1.4 lakh farmers, including nearly 80,000 women farmers. This grant will now help supplement these ongoing efforts on the ground and assist farmers in returning to profitability in the coming seasons."
With this new grant, ICRISAT will collaborate with eight other organizations, including Tanager, Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), TrickleUp, International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), Grameen Foundation India, Digital Green India, TechnoServe, and Heifer International, to increase support and resilience for India's farmers.
