Jul,2022

SDGs & go4fresh: How We Align with Decent Work & Economic Growth (Goal 8)

What are the SDGs?

Established in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs are a set of 17 interrelated goals meant to end (or drastically reduce) “global poverty, protect the planet & ensure a peaceful environment for all by 2030.” The SDGs are part of the UN’s 2030 agenda and have been developed and adopted by all of its 193 member nations, making it one of the few climate change policies that all UN member nations have implemented.

Understanding the Situation of Small Farmers in India

Small farmers in India are in an extremely precarious situation. It is estimated that over 86% of the landholdings in India are less than 1.1 ha in size, meaning that over 86% of the landholdings in India belong to small & marginal farmers. Despite their large collective landholdings and immense importance to the Indian agricultural industry, they face several challenges that make their day-to-day operations difficult. Some of these challenges are low individual farm yield, being located far from markets, low individual bargaining power and imperfect access to market information. While this list is in no way exhaustive, it throws light on the large (but possibly avoidable) number of challenges faced by these farmers.

How We Align with Decent Work & Economic Growth (Goal 2)

At go4fresh, we primarily work with these small farmers (either directly or through FPOs). In fact, since our inception, we have worked with over 4,800 farmers and have connected them with hundreds of buyers. Over the years, we have realised the need & opportunity for tech-enabled solutions that can help increase the ease of doing business for these farmers.

Therefore, we are developing digital infrastructure & solutions that can provide these farmers & FPOs with several features that can help them increase their business prospects. Some of these include easy access to buyers, access to effective and efficient market linkages, and also helping them adopt the best farm practices.

Through our work, we believe that we have the potential to empower & improve the livelihoods of hundreds of small & marginal farmers all over India. By collaborating with the different stakeholders & increasing the accessibility to our products, we hope to create a lasting & profound impact on the lives of farmers & the agricultural value chain.