GIZ, PepsiCo, Bayer join hands to promote climate-resilient maize farming
Hyderabad, Nov 4 (TNT) : German development agency GIZ, PepsiCo India and Bayer AG have launched a three-year public-private partnership programme here on Wednesday to promote regenerative agriculture and strengthen climate resilience among maize farmers in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
The programme, titled HARVEST (Holistic Agricultural Climate Resilience and Versatile Ecosystem Strengthening Techniques), aims to reach 35,000 farmers through training, capacity building and sustainable agricultural interventions.
Implemented under the develoPPP programme on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the initiative will focus on improving soil health, efficient use of water and agricultural inputs, crop diversification and adoption of climate-resilient farming practices.
The project will be supported by the Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) and other research and government institutions to develop locally suitable recommendations based on scientific research and soil and water assessments.
It will also promote demonstration farms, farmer-to-farmer learning and stronger market linkages to encourage the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices and improve farm sustainability.
GIZ India and Bhutan Country Director Ulrike Ebeling said the partnership would combine the expertise of the three organisations to improve farmers’ livelihood opportunities and build sustainable agricultural value chains.
PepsiCo India Senior Director and India Market Supply Officer Ashok Rai said the company was extending its experience in sustainable potato farming to maize cultivation through the initiative.
Bayer Crop Science Country Divisional Head for India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Simon Wiebusch said collaboration among industry partners, research institutions and farmers was essential to scaling regenerative agriculture while ensuring economic benefits for farmers.
The initiative builds on the longstanding partnership between PepsiCo and Bayer in the potato value chain and the collaboration between PepsiCo and GIZ in Thailand from 2021 to 2025 on potato and rice value chains.
Maize is an important crop for food, animal feed and industrial applications in India. However, erratic rainfall, drought, rising temperatures and increasing pressure on natural resources pose challenges to agricultural production and farmers’ livelihoods.
The programme seeks to develop a scalable model for sustainable maize cultivation by combining scientific research, farmer training and value-chain partnerships.
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