HYDERABAD: Axis Bank Foundation (ABF) has been awarded the prestigious gold award at FICCI’s 4th Sustainable Agriculture Summit and Awards 2024. The Sustainable Livelihood Programme was recognized under the Natural Resource Management and Climate Resilient Agriculture category, for best practices and innovations in climate-resilient, smart agriculture, and sustainable management of natural resources. Under the program, ABF supported Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) which has capacitated rural communities across Khunti district in Jharkhand, Narayanpet district in Telangana, and Ahmednagar and Beed districts in Maharashtra to participate in watershed development work to improve water availability, adopt low-risk sustainable agricultural practices for improvement in crop yield, and strengthen local community institutions to take the development agenda forward.

The multiple key initiatives implemented under this project have led to its scalable impact in the region:

• Enhanced Irrigation Access: Improved irrigation access for farmers in Telangana and Jharkhand.
• Increased Income: Material increase in annual income due to improved irrigation and agriculture practices.
• Diversified Agriculture: Cultivation of fruit and agroforestry trees, development of kitchen gardening, and multi-layer farming.
• Institutional Strengthening: Establishment of local institutions such as VDCs, FIGs, FPOs, and SHGs, leveraging resources from MGNREGS for infrastructure.
• Climate-Resilient Practices: Adoption of climate-resilient practices by over 8,920 farmers, enhancing productivity and soil health, while reducing costs and inorganic fertilizer use.
• Non-Farm Livelihood Development: Supporting households in constructing and repairing animal sheds, purchasing livestock, and providing marketing support for pig rearing in convergence with government schemes and programs.

India’s diverse landscape, varied agro-climatic zones, and rich natural resources present significant challenges for community sustenance, natural resource management (NRM), and rural livelihoods. The target communities in Telangana, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra face severe issues such as water scarcity and natural resource depletion, critically impacting agriculture and allied livelihoods. These regions are home to economically disadvantaged rural populations, including tribal groups and landless families, who are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. They face increased production losses, higher input costs, and reduced incomes. The program addresses these challenges through targeted interventions across the impacted areas.

Dhruvi Shah, Executive Trustee and Chief Executive Officer of Axis Bank Foundation commented on the award, “Our Sustainable Livelihood Programme delves into a nuanced approach to livelihood challenges while focused on the local context. FICCI’s 4th Sustainable Agriculture Summit and Awards 2024 is a recognition of our efforts and a great motivator. It reinforces our commitment to the need for self-reliance among rural communities. This recognition strengthens our determination to drive with our approach and inspires us to build a legacy of positive change for years to come.”

Training and capacity-building of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and ‘Jalsevaks’, stakeholder engagement workshops, and watershed development have been key to the program’s success. These efforts have strengthened Village Watershed and Water Management Committees, facilitated exposure visits to successful projects, and promoted collaborative workshops with government departments. Land treatment measures, afforestation, water resource development, and water-saving technologies have been implemented to enhance resilience. Training sessions for VDCs, SHGs, and farmer groups focus on planning, management, monitoring, and sustainable livelihoods. ‘Jalsevak’ and para-agronomist training enhances project implementation at the village level.

Prakash Keskar, Executive Director, WOTR, shared his thoughts on the recognition, “This recognition from FICCI validates the core idea that when communities are equipped to manage their resources, development follows naturally. Through the Sustainable Livelihood Programme, we are not just addressing immediate challenges; we are laying the foundation for sustainable futures. This acknowledgment inspires us to amplify our efforts and drive even greater impact in the lives of vulnerable communities.”

The program has significantly impacted rural communities by enhancing water availability, promoting climate-resilient strategies, and increasing income through sustainable agriculture practices. Key outcomes include improved market linkages, increased access to irrigation, crop diversification, enhanced food and nutritional security, and strengthened institutions. The FarmPrecise mobile app has further supported farmers by providing weather and agro-advisories, helping plan activities and manage pests, thus increasing productivity and reducing climate-related risks. Moving forward, the program aims to empower people and institutions for sustained impact.

The post Axis Bank Foundation’s Sustainable Livelihood Program Wins Gold at FICCI’s Sustainable Agriculture Summit 2024 appeared first on NRI News.

Nagesh Rane said that our main motto is to attract exporters to come and set up their businesses in Africa. Post-covid the evolving geo-political situation presents Africa with a lot of economic opportunities. The SEZ perks present a lot of tax benefits, duties, and subsidies apart from lesser transit times to Western countries and freight costs. Availability of abundant raw materials in some core sectors like agro-processing coupled with skill training centers specially designed for product and sector presents a huge advantage. It has an impact on profit margin. Arise is present in countries with stable political environments. We have more than 10 parks all led by Indians as cluster heads adding to the convenience. Logistics including roads, ports, and airports along with safety are aiding overall growth.

Manis Thanawalla, Director of Greenback Advisory Services Pvt gave a presentation on financing in Africa. He talks about financing for machinery, term loans, ECA funding, working capital, warehouse financing, etc, and the challenges around these.

In his welcome address Deepak Mukhi, Director of FICCI Maharashtra State Council said that the event aimed to make aware of the opportunities in SEZs and economic zones, financing options across 10 countries. India has emerged as one of the foremost inbound investment centers for Africa partly fuelled by the push from the Indian Government to diversify the baskets after seeing the Western economies face challenges. Africa is attracting investments in certain core sectors not only because of export potential but also domestic consumption. These core sectors include agro-processing, automobiles, fertilizers and chemicals, electronics, packaging, construction material, timber, packaging, recycling industry, pharma, plastics, computer assembly, and in recent times Electric Vehicles. FICCI has been leading a lot of these initiatives focused on trade activities. This is our effort to deepen the trade partnership between India and Africa and supplement the efforts of the government by bringing these opportunities to the fore.

The post Interactive Session On Business Opportunities In West And Central Africa Held In Pune appeared first on NRI News.

During the conference, Deendayal Port Authority presented comprehensive insights into the upcoming PPP projects, notably highlighting three Oil Jetties at Old Kandla and a Multipurpose dry cargo facility at Tuna Tekra. The presentations shed light on the strategic vision and objectives behind these projects, emphasizing the Authority’s dedication to fostering economic growth and infrastructure development.

The event witnessed active participation from a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from international entities. The interactive sessions provided a platform for constructive dialogue, allowing stakeholders to share invaluable suggestions, inputs, and innovative ideas to enhance the successful implementation of the projects.

The stakeholders actively participated in the discussions, providing constructive feedback and valuable insights. They appreciated the initiative taken by DPA to involve them in the planning and development process. The suggestions and input received will be carefully considered and incorporated into the final project proposals.

Mr Sanjay Mehta, Chairman-Deendayal Port Authority, said, “The restructuring of our PPP projects is a strategic move to ensure their long-term success and contribute to the port’s growth. We believe that stakeholder engagement is crucial for this endeavor, and we are grateful for the constructive feedback and suggestions received today. We will carefully consider all the input and work towards implementing the projects in a way that benefits all stakeholders.“

The Deendayal Port Authority expresses its gratitude to all attendees, both domestic and international, for their active participation and meaningful contributions to the dialogue. The Authority remains committed to transparency, inclusivity, and collaboration as it moves forward with the restructuring of PPP projects, contributing to the region’s economic prosperity.

The post Interactive session on the restructuring of PPP Projects organized by Deendayal Port Authority and FICCI appeared first on NRI News.

MUMBAI: “Technical Textiles products cater to a wide array of industries, thereby exhibiting a plethora of opportunities as a high-value sector in India,” said Smt. Darshana Jardosh, Hon’ble Minister of State for Textiles, Government of India. The Government is making all efforts to promote Technical Textiles and has undertaken various incentives in this direction, like the PLI scheme in technical textiles, and the creation of new HSN Codes amongst others, she added further.

The Hon’ble Minister was speaking at the curtain raiser event for ‘Technotex 2023’, at Trident hotel, Mumbai.

The Ministry of Textiles, Government of India in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Industry is organizing India’s premier show on Technical Textiles- ‘Technotex 2023’ from 22nd to 24th February 2023 in Mumbai, under National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).

The curtain raiser was organized to brief the Foreign Missions in India, the Media, and the leading Technical Textile industry about the significance of the event, the importance the ministry accords to the sector, and to set the chord for meaningful deliberations in making the summit fruitful.

“Globally, the technical textile industry is a large, steadily growing market; this robust global market is waiting for the industry as both domestic consumption and export is expected to grow rapidly,” said Smt Jardosh.

She also mentioned that at this juncture, it is very important that we build a strong connection with the global industry, attract domestic & global investments as well as project India’s strengths, initiatives & facilities in regard to Technical Textiles to the world.

Speaking at the event Shri Chandrakant Patil, Hon’ble Minister of Textile, Higher & Technical Education, Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Maharashtra said that the Technical Textile sector is one of the key constituents of the Indian economy and is also a focus of the Government towards Aatma Nirbhar Bharat as one of the niche sunrise sectors of the economy.

“The textile industry in Maharashtra indeed holds strategic importance in India as it is the single largest employer, contributing around ~14% of India’s total textile and apparel exports,” mentioned Shri Patil.

He also mentioned that Maharashtra’s Textile Policy is aimed at generating 10 lakh new employment; attracting investments worth INR 36,000 Crore, and providing many benefits including competitive power tariff and increased capital subsidy, etc.

Comparing the penetration of Technical Textiles in Indian textile industries with global markets Shri Rajeev Saxena, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India said that at present Technical Textile penetration is only 8-9% of the overall Textile sector, whereas in developed countries it goes up to 65% or so.

Smt Roop Rashi, Textile Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India said that Technotex 2023 vision is to look at India at 2047, how we grow from today to be the world leaders in all the segments, if possible, otherwise at least in some of the niche segment in 25 years from now.

“We look forward to more than 15,000 business visitors in Feb 2023. We also look at a huge interaction with user industries within the Government of India as well as abroad all the Diplomats and CEOs and so on,” said Smt Rashi.

Shri Dhiraj Shah, Chairman, SRTEPC said that Technical Textiles is an advanced technology-backed sunrise sector across the globe, which is steadily gaining ground in India.

He said that India has a low export share in the top 10 textile markets, however, India exports Technical textiles of US $ 1 billion to the USA, which shows the potential of Technical Textile export. “With adequate support from the government Technical Textile sector will grow and achieve its true potential,” said Shah.

Shri Mohan Kavrie, Chairman & Mentor, FICCI Technotex SME Organizing Committee & Chairman, welcomed Hon’ble Ministers and other dignitaries to the curtain raiser event.

Shri Avinash Misar, vice Chairman, the Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA) said that Technical Textile is currently in the most conducive environment and ecosystem. This is because of the continuous effort of the industry and indeed has a fantastic future ahead.

The post ‘Technotex 2023’ Organised In Mumbai Under The National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) With The Ministry Of Textiles In Collaboration With FICCI appeared first on NRI News.