CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal : In a significant push for sustainable agriculture and farmer empowerment, The Art of Living’s Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Trust (AOL-SSIAST) signed two pivotal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL). The signings took place in the presence of Shri Ashish Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, marking a transformative step toward reviving India’s traditional agricultural strengths with modern scale and strategy.
These partnerships aim to build end-to-end value chains in indigenous seed preservation and natural produce marketing, bridging the gap between grassroots farmers and national markets.
MoU 1: AOL-SSIAST×BBSSL – Reviving Indigenous Seeds, Strengthening Sovereignty
This agreement focuses on the preservation, multiplication and promotion of indigenous seeds, vital for sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and food sovereignty.
Key focus areas include:
Establishing community-based seed banks and seed keepers
Joint seed research and farmer training programs
Organizing seed festivals and awareness campaigns
Implementing blockchain-based traceability for seed authenticity
Supporting the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
MoU 2: AOL-SSIAST×NCOL – Scaling Organic Produce from Soil to Shelf
The second MoU with NCOL aims to streamline the aggregation, certification and marketing of organic produce cultivated by the AOL-SSIAST trained farmers across India.
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