Adani Foundation’s boost to natural farming in Kattur, 100 farmers get certified

The Adani Kattupalli Port has joined hands with the Department of Organic Certification under the government of Tamil Nadu to promote the cultivation of paddy through its CSR initiatives. The participating farmers will receive organic certification. The move comes as part of an initiative of the Adani Foundation, the community engagement arm of the Adani Group, to promote natural farming and ensure farmers’ benefitting from market pricing for organic harvests for their produce. 

The Department of Organic Certification handed out organic certificates to as many as 100 beneficiary farmers belonging to four farming groups on 23rd February 2024, at Kattur village and registered them under PGS Organic Certification, under the state government. The certificates were given by Mr. Durai Chandrasekar, MLA, Ponneri Constituency.  

The Adani Foundation has also proposed setting up of a farmers’ organization, called Organic Farmers’ Producer Organization (FPO), for financial year 2024-25 with an aim to facilitate the farmers to take up organic farming at a scale which will help them get premium market prices for their harvests. The move will also enable buyers to become certain that the items they are purchasing purchase from these farmers are 100% naturally harvested. 

The Foundation has also come forward to support beneficiary farmers by supplying them with green manure seeds, high-yielding paddy variety, neem cake, bio-fertilizer and Zinc Sulphate required for paddy cultivation. It has also provided trainings to them on the preparation of various organic protocol and their adaptation. 

Capt. Madhanmohan, COO, Adani Kattupalli and Ennore Ports, Mr. Waghe Sanket Balwant IAS, Sub-Collector, Ponneri, Tiruvallur district, Dr. Suresh, Director of Organic Certification, Government of Tamil Nadu were among dignitaries who graced the occasion. Dr. Anil Balakrishnan, head of CSR, southern division of Adani Foundation, village panchayat heads, councilors, ward members and farmers were also present at the event.