Team News Riveting
Mumbai/Jamshedpur, October 28
Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF), the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Ambuja Cements, is facilitating farmers to sell their crop residue to the company.
Burning crop residue after harvesting is detrimental to soil health and has a negative economic impact on farmers and local communities. Additionally, this also contributes to air pollution and aids the challenges posed by climate change.
The residue thus collected through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) will be used as alternative fuel resources. Under its agro-based livelihood program, ACF forms FPOs to enhance the productivity and profitability of all farmers. This value chain routed via FPOs encourages farmers to gather the crop residue and produce biomass fuel for the company’s plants.
Presently, 10,000 farmers have been covered through FPOs thereby facilitating long-term sustainability for farmers and their families.
Neeraj Akhoury, MD & CEO, Ambuja Cements, said, “Community well-being is deeply ingrained in Ambuja Cements’ culture. Our efforts not only aim to enhance the socio-economic status of rural communities, they also aid in promoting sustainable agricultural practices.”
New technologies have been introduced for Juliflora Biomass cutting and chopping which has been specially designed by farmer groups and fabricated at a local level. It has helped the farmers save on costs as it requires minimal maintenance. By purchasing biomass fuel for its plant operations, Ambuja Cements generates a multiplier effect by creating resources for farmers and farm labourers to earn from their waste and boost incomes.
Prahlad Baoria, a farmer who has benefitted from this effort has witnessed his livelihood being transformed after joining Balaji Farmer Producer Company, a partner of ACF. From being in neck-deep debts with his small land holding unable to sustain his requirements he is presently able to earn about Rs. 30,000 per month from this initiative. Not only has he cleared his debts, he now has 10-15 labourers working with him, his children go to private schools and he is able to meet his wife’s dream of opening a cosmetic shop. As a responsible organization, ACF has been consistently working to not only improve the lives of rural communities but also building a greener and better tomorrow.
