Shikha Sheth, Vice President – APAC for Kingsley Gate Partners, a global executive search firm, recently hosted a conversation with Sameer Tandon, Regional Director – India for the Crop Solutions Business at UPL Limited, a global leader in biosolutions for sustainable agriculture. Together they discuss agribusiness in India, the impact of technology on the sector, and the contribution of Indian agriculture to the SDGs as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The conversation also takes us through the strategies in place to achieve sustainability in the industry and the new talent emerging as a result.
With 50% of India’s population directly or indirectly engaged in agriculture – most of them as farm labors – Sameer and Shikha talk about ways to eradicate poverty and hunger with consistent and concentrated efforts throughout the value chain. It is of utmost importance to improve farm gate incomes and that really is the moot point which Sameer feels strongly about and is the central thread of this interaction.
One such method includes the practice of sustainable agriculture not only in the manufacturing process but also in the optimization of the inputs that go into crops. Such steps aid in removing inefficiencies resulting in an upward trend in crop yields which in turn leads to an increase in profits and ultimately poverty alleviation. Sameer also highlights the importance of integrating what goes as input into the field with the output from the field in the form of produce as another way to increase farm yields without it being too labour intensive and help the small farm holdings find the right market and price for their produce.
The conversation then steers toward the mechanization of agricultural practices that have effectively resulted in 30% – 40% reduction in costs attached. This impact of technology helps not only in modernizing the sector to increase crop yields, but it also results in less residue of chemicals in the final produce eventually providing transparency in the “farm to plate” journey and building a sustainable business model that offers a higher price margin for the farmers as well.
Balancing chemicals and natural products can provide yield improvements and quality both along with reduction in input costs and hence lead to better incomes for the farmers. Effective soil management in terms of bringing back live organisms into the soil, protection of the crops and balancing it with nutrients which are sharply depleting in the soil all go a long way in enhancing yields. These are some key areas where companies need to shift focus to aid the farmer thus fulfilling the overarching goal of increasing farmer incomes.
You can watch the full discussion between Shikha and Sameer by clicking on the link below.
About Kingsley Gate Partners
Kingsley Gate Partners is transforming executive search with the introduction of Synchronous Fit. This framework focuses on improving the Accuracy, Velocity, Transparency and Accountability of our executive searches. Every one of our consultants that serve your needs is an owner of the firm and, therefore, carries the responsibility of the brand on their shoulders. These experienced consultants utilize Synchronous Fit to fuse their credible expert insight with science and technology with one objective in mind–to ensure a lasting fit between clients and placed candidates. Kingsley Gate Partners employs search consultants worldwide with expertise in private equity, life sciences and healthcare, financial services, technology, retail, hospitality & leisure, manufacturing, and professional services. The firm works with best-of-breed organizations in over 30 countries. For more information, visit www.KingsleyGate.com.
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