Walmart Foundation announces grant for farm recovery for agri communities impacted by COVID-19

Walmart Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Walmart, on Wednesday announced a grant of over Rs 40 million to improve farm recovery in India.

The grant aims to impact and assist over 24,000 farmers across six states in India, including Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, to manage supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic and sustain their farming operations.

The grant will be presented to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) — a non-profit non-political international organisation — and its partner organisations supporting their local communities as they respond to COVID-19.

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In a statement, Walmart Foundation said the grant will help farmers mitigate disruptions in the post-production supply chain while gaining market access, ahead of the post-harvest period in India. It will also fulfil their financial requirements to procure key inputs like seeds and farm equipment by strengthening the operations and reach of farmer producer organisations (FPOs).

In 2018, Walmart Foundation provided a $2 million grant to ICRISAT to help create an improved business model to enhance farmers' livelihoods. The grant is a part of the foundation’s $25 million commitment to India to help farmers generate more income.

Commenting on the announcement, Kathleen McLaughlin, President of Walmart Foundation, and Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Walmart Inc, said,

“Farming communities across the world have been facing challenges with restricted access to farm inputs, markets and equipment, putting entire seasons at risk. To grow these small-scale farming communities in India, we are expanding our focus on digital access, business practices, logistical support, and high-quality inputs, with our commitments already having reached over 1.4 lakhs farmers, including nearly 80,000 women farmers. Now, this grant will help supplement these ongoing efforts on the ground and help farmers return to profitability in coming seasons.”

With this new grant, ICRISAT will partner with eight other organisations, including Tanager, Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), TrickleUp, International Fertiliser Development Center (IFDC), Grameen Foundation India, Digital Green India, TechnoServe, and Heifer International, to further scale up its efforts on the ground towards building support and resilience for India’s farmers.