HDFC Bank supports agricultural livelihoods in Kashmir through CSR initiative
Srinagar, Nov 4 (TNT) : HDFC Bank, through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme Parivartan, is supporting agricultural livelihoods in Kashmir by promoting improved farming practices, processing infrastructure and market access for farmers.
The bank is implementing the initiatives in collaboration with ISAP India Foundation and Citizens Foundation.
The Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) supported under the programme collectively generate revenues of up to Rs 5.2 crore, with one FPO recording revenue of Rs 1.4 crore, the Bank said in a release on Wednesday.
The programme has also introduced SAMARKASH, a common brand under which participating FPOs market processed agricultural products with support for branding, packaging and market linkages.
The interventions cover key agricultural products, including saffron, apples, walnuts and Kashmiri red chilli.
Support includes solar water pumps, drip irrigation, mulching, particularly for saffron cultivation, and polyhouse farming.
Processing facilities have been supported for apples, walnuts, saffron, Kashmiri red chilli, milk and traditional bakery products. These units are equipped with solar dryers, cold storage and other machinery to improve post-harvest handling, preservation and value addition.
In Pampore, saffron farmers are being supported with improved farming practices, solar water pumps and dryers, besides FPO development and market linkages.
In Uri, farmers cultivating Kashmiri red chilli are receiving assistance for polyhouse farming, drip irrigation and solar drying facilities.
Nusrat Pathan, Head of CSR at HDFC Bank, said the initiative aimed to help farmers secure greater value from their produce through improved cultivation, processing facilities and stronger market connections.
Bashir Ahmad Ganie, President of Kirmaniya Fruit Fed FPC, said processing facilities and the SAMARKASH brand had enabled farmers to move beyond selling raw produce immediately after harvest and explore better marketing opportunities.
Beyond agriculture, Parivartan also supports alternative livelihood opportunities, including skill development initiatives for women. During 2025-26, the bank extended its CSR coverage to 498 border villages across the country.
HDFC Bank said Parivartan had impacted more than 10.77 crore people across all 28 states and eight Union Territories.
The bank spent Rs 1,316.18 crore on CSR initiatives in 2025-26, taking its cumulative CSR investment under the programme to around Rs 7,492 crore since its inception.
The programme focuses on rural development, education, skill training and livelihood enhancement, healthcare and hygiene, financial literacy and inclusion, and natural resource management.
TNT KS
