On May 21, 2024, esteemed guests from Sistema.bio and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare visited Krishi Jagran’s office in New Delhi. The event was graced by the presence of Piyush Sohani, Managing Director of Sistema.bio India, and Pallavi Mali, Head of Capacity Building & Content Development at the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Sohani is an entrepreneur and passionate about sustainable technologies and social development. He highlighted Sistema.bio’s innovative biodigester technology, aiming to enhance food security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, benefiting thousands of farmers worldwide.
The guests were warmly welcomed by M C Dominic, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Krishi Jagran, and Shiny Dominic, Managing Director of Krishi Jagran. Shortly, a video tracing Krishi Jagran’s journey from its inception to the present was showcased.
As part of his address, Sohani highlighted that Sistema. bio is a global social enterprise dedicated to tackling poverty, food security, and climate change through innovative biodigester technology, training, and financing. Founded in Mexico in 2010, the company manufactures and distributes affordable, high-quality biodigesters that help smallholder farmers convert animal waste into renewable energy and organic fertilizer.
It operates in 33 countries and aims to cut 1% of annual global GHG emissions by 2030. After its inception in Mexico, the technology expanded to Africa in 2017 and India in 2018. Since then, 80,000 families across 21 Indian states have benefitted from the installations, reducing their reliance on LPG cylinders. The biofertilizers produced as a byproduct are used in agricultural fields, significantly benefiting the environment by saving approximately 8-10 tonnes of CO2 annually per system.
“With 80,000 systems currently in use, around 800,000 tonnes of CO2 are saved each year. Approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the technology is supported with subsidies, making it accessible to millions of dairy farmers. Sohani expressed optimism about the partnership with Krishi Jagran, anticipating that it will further benefit numerous farmers,” he added.
Furthermore, Pallavi Mali spoke about the crucial role of agriculture in uplifting farmers, not only economically but also in terms of social security. She highlighted the Ministry of Agriculture’s dedicated efforts to improve the livelihoods of farming communities across India, noting significant increases in budget allocations for new schemes in recent years. These efforts have been crucial in sustaining farmers’ income levels and interests.
Notably, the Ministry of Agriculture comprises 28 divisions, each managing 3-4 major schemes. Her division is divided into two key areas: Crop Insurance and Credit. The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, with a budget of Rs 20,000 crores, provides affordable credit to farmers, while the Fasal Bima Yojana, with a budget of Rs 15,000 crores, offers protection against natural calamities.
She also stressed the importance of food security, stating, “The money in your pocket is not equal to the food plate on your table.” She called for collective responsibility to keep farmers’ interests at the forefront and urged for collaborative efforts from agri media houses like Krishi Jagran, private partners, and government departments to enhance the farming community’s welfare. Mali concluded by expressing gratitude to Krishi Jagran for facilitating this collaborative opportunity.
Following this, MC Dominic, acknowledged the contributions of the guests toward India’s farming community. He expressed his happiness at the collaborative efforts with the government to ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach deserving farmers.
Highlighting that farmers have the right to secure income for themselves and their families, Dominic affirmed, “If anything improves farmers’ lives, then we’re happy. Let’s together create new landmarks in the history of Indian farming.”
The insightful event concluded with a Vote of Thanks followed by a group photograph to mark the occasion.
First published on: 21 May 2024, 13:35 IST
