Access Hosts Agroecology Summit For Resilient Farming

ACCESS Development Services, with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development( IFAD), organized the Agroecology Summit – Pathways to Sustainable Food Systems to advance ecological and sustainable agrarian practices in India. The event brought together policymakers, investors,  planter patron associations( FPOs), and enterprises  devoted to reshaping India’s  husbandry through environmentally responsible and inclusive models.

The  peak aimed to foster dialogue and collaboration to strengthen smallholder participation in value chains, reduce vulnerabilities to climate change, and promote sustainable food systems. A  crucial highlight of the event was the release of five value chain studies on cashew, turmeric, capsicum, garlic, and black pepper under the IFAD- supported entitlement for Agroecology Programme( GAP) Fund. The reports present  practicable  perceptivity to enhance  request  liaison, cutpost-harvest losses, and enable original value addition.

Inaugurating the event, Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, emphasized that India’s agrarian strategy is  embedded  in empowering smallholders through  adaption, sustainability, and collaborative enterprise. He noted that Farmer Patron Organizations( FPOs) play a  vital  part as machines of  pastoral  metamorphosis by enabling  growers to come active actors in value chains rather than remaining bare directors. delivering the collaboration between IFAD and ACCESS Development Services, he said  similar  hookups are vital to  erecting stronger  request  liaison and business capacities that make  husbandry more  flexible and inclusive.

In his special address, Mr. James Marc de Sousa- Shields, Country Director( India), IFAD,  underlined the  eventuality of agroecology to deliver both sustainability and participated substance. He  stressed that agroecological approaches empower  growers, restore ecosystems, and strengthen  request systems. Through the GAP Fund, managed by ACCESS Development Services, IFAD aims to accelerate the participation of smallholders in the global agroecological  metamorphosis and support climate- flexible  husbandry systems.

Other dignitaries addressing the  peak included Mr. Sanjeev Asthana, Chairman of ACCESS Development Services and CEO of Patanjali Foods; Mr. Pravesh Sharma, Chairman of Samunnati Foundation; Mr. Vivek Sinha, Lead – GAP Fund, ACCESS Development Services; and Mr. Vipin Sharma, CEO of ACCESS Development Services.

The  recently released value chain studies draw upon  public datasets, secondary  exploration, and stakeholder consultations to assess  openings for  spanning agroecological practices in  crucial crops. The findings reveal that while  husbandry contributes over 17 percent of India’s Gross Value Added( GVA) and supports nearly half of the population, small and borderline  growers still face  patient challenges due to  fractured value chains, limited processing capacity, and highpost-harvest losses, especially in perishable goods.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Vipin Sharma, CEO of ACCESS Development Services, stated that agroecology represents the future of Indian  husbandry by integrating ecological balance with  profitable adaptability. He emphasized that  enterprise like the GAP Fund demonstrate the  marketable viability of ecological enterprises that restore natural  coffers while supporting  pastoral livelihoods. According to him, the value chain reports are necessary in  relating where targeted investments and  inventions can enhance smallholder profitability and sustainability within India’s food systems.

Following the report release, a Grantees Award Ceremony was held to fete  enterprises that have showcased  invention and measurable impact in promoting agroecology- led business models. These awards  conceded associations that are advancing environmentally sustainable practices while  icing  indifferent income generation for  growers.

The day’s proceedings also featured a series of expert- led sessions exploring different themes around agroecology. Panel  conversations included  motifs  similar as “ Programmes Driving Agroecology openings, Challenges and Way Forward, ” “ Beyond Markers Are instruments Enough to Drive Real Change inAgro-Food Systems? ” “ Agroecology as a Pathway to Climate Resilience and Food Sovereignty, ” and “ Sustainability Beyond Catalytic Funding – Do Agroecology systems Make Business Sense? ” The sessions  handed a platform for knowledge exchange among stakeholders,  pressing the need for stronger cooperation between policymakers, investors, and  interpreters to mainstream agroecology across India’s agrarian  geography.

The  conversations  corroborated the view that agroecology is essential for addressing the integrated challenges of food security, environmental  declination, and  pastoral livelihoods. Actors noted that  erecting  flexible value chains requires not only technological  invention but also policy support,  request access, and capacity-  structure  enterprise for smallholders.

The  peak concluded with ACCESS Development Services reiterating its commitment to advancing sustainable  husbandry through a  tripartite  docket — synthesizing and showcasing successful agroecology- grounded models, bridging critical gaps throughmulti-stakeholder collaboration, andco-creating a roadmap for  spanning  feasible business models across the country. The event served as a collaborative call to action for integrating agroecological principles into mainstream agrarian and policy  fabrics,  icing that the future of Indian  husbandry remains both climate- flexible and economically inclusive.