Jayant Agro-Organics Limited on Wednesday said its sustainability initiatives in Gujarat’s castor belt are delivering higher productivity with lower resource use, with farmers reporting 32 per cent higher yields and demonstration plots showing nearly 30 per cent lower water consumption.
The company’s flagship Project Pragati, launched in 2016 with Arkema, BASF and Solidaridad, along with its extension i-Pragati, has now certified over 13,500 farmers and brought more than 16,000 hectares under sustainable cultivation practices. The initiatives have cumulatively produced around 1.7 lakh tonnes of certified castor seeds, strengthening India’s position as a key supplier to global specialty chemical markets, with Gujarat accounting for the bulk of global castor output, the company stated in an official release.
Beyond productivity gains, the programme has focused on farmer resilience and supply chain traceability. During the year, over 450 training sessions were conducted, more than 500 lead farmers were trained, 10,000 safety kits were distributed, and over 150 medical camps were organised.
Abhay Udeshi, chairman of Jayant Agro Group stated, “These initiatives reflect our long-standing belief that sustainability must be strengthened through active support from stakeholders at the farm level. Over the past nine years, they have demonstrated that responsible agricultural practices can enhance farmer incomes while ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of castor for global industries. The continuous increase in the number of certified farmers is a testament to the trust they place in this model and further reinforces India’s leadership in building resilient, sustainable supply chains.”
The initiative is also expanding social impact, with over 1,150 women trained in sustainable farming, along with digital and financial literacy, aimed at improving household incomes and decision-making.
Published on March 18, 2026
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