The Walmart Foundation has announced a grant of over ₹4 crore to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). The grant will help the Hyderabad-based agricultural research institute and its partner organisations in assisting farmers to manage wupply chain disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic.
“Ahead of the post-harvest period in India, the grant will help farmers mitigate disruptions in post-production supply chain while gaining access to market,” the Walmart Foundation said in a statement.
“It will also help fulfil their financial requirements to procure key inputs like seeds and key farm equipment by strengthening the operations and reach of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs),” it said.
To work with 8 other organisations
ICRISAT will work with eight other organisations, including Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), TrickleUp, Grameen Foundation India and Digital Green India to scale up their efforts on the ground.
“To grow the small-scale farming communities in India, we are expanding our focus on digital access, business practices, logistical support and high-quality inputs,” Kathleen McLaughlin, President of Walmart Foundation and Executive Vice-President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Walmart Inc., said.
“This grant from the Walmart Foundation will impact more than 24,000 farmers across Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh,” Jacqueline Hughes, Director General, ICRISAT, said.
In 2018, the Foundation provided $2 million grant to ICRISAT to help create an improved business model that will help enhance farmers’ livelihoods.