Gujarat, India – Pragati, the sustainable castor bean programme, has now certified more than 8000 farmers, with individual farmer yields having significantly increased. More than 9000 hectares of largely semi-arid land is now covered by the Success sustainability code.
The Pragati project, implemented by the sustainability network Solidaridad and with the support of Arkema, BASF and Jayant Agro-Organics, has been running since May 2016. Last year, about 100kT of certified castor seeds were cultivated, about a third more than the 74.5kT grown the year before.
Importantly, certified farmers realised 57% higher yields than the local average published by the regional government. About 33% less water was consumed by seeds grown according to Pragati practices.
The castor plant, Ricinus communis, is a non-food crop that can grow successfully in dry conditions. Castor bean oil can be used as a polyol for polyurethanes, and last year the programme introduced traceability for biobased PU in footwear in conjunction with BASF.
The project has recently been placing a particular emphasis on gender, with more than 1100 women from 17 villages enrolling in the programme in the past year and receiving in-depth training on good agricultural practices. The aim is to raise productivity alongside encouraging safe, sustainable and regenerative agriculture.
“As a widow, I carry the burden of my family on my shoulders alone, said Patel Sitaben Rameshbhai, a castor oil farmer from Kahoda village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district. “Thanks to the Pragati programme, I have been able to improve my farming practices and better support my family. “The good agricultural practices I have learnt have helped me reduce the cost of cultivation by 20 to 25%. I have also started using certified seeds, which help me grow healthier crops and produce more.”
