Aikya Organics

An alternative organic produce value chain managed by women farmers
2019 SEED Low Carbon Awards; IKI BMU
Sustainable Agriculture
Kanpur
India

Aikya Organics promotes an alternative eco-inclusive agro value chain. Activities range from training women farmers in low-cost input and natural farming techniques, to installing seed and tool banks and solar-powered processing and packaging facilities, 

By shortening the value chain Aikya Organics increases the affordability and availability of organic produce. Produce is sold through B2B and B2C channels, with an own-branded organic store in Lucknow. 

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
Aikya Organics’ natural farming keeps chemicals out of the soil and provides healthy, safe food, enabling women farmers who own and manage the agro value chain obtain higher profits, and increase their self-reliance.
  • Promoting gender equality by training and empowering over 1,200 women farmers to own and manage the agro value chain
  • Improving self-reliance of farmers by reducing input costs
  • Creating local jobs and agricultural training for youth in rural areas
  • Freeing 2,000+ acres of land from chemical fertilisers
  • Reducing fossil fuel use along the value chain through use of handheld tools and solar-powered processing units
  • Spreading access to local organic safe produce to over 150 families
  • Raising farmer margins through 50-60% reduction in input costs and 25-30% higher margins
  • Increasing community ownership of the value chain returns 60% of the realised price to the farmers
  • Growing family incomes of farmers by 100%

Partners

Aikya Organics trains women farmers on organic farming techniques, installs solar-powered process and packaging units, creates market linkages through B2B and own-branded organic produce stores, and organises self-help groups and farmer producer organisations to manage this agro value chain.

Shramik Bharti operates a network of women’s farmers, and supports the dissemination of zero-budget natural farming and self-help groups

SIDBI-IIT Kanpur is an NGO that incubates Aikya Organics and has provided equity investment

Ekta FPO is a farmers producer organisation that implements Aikya Organics’ shortened value chain and provides organic produce