Key SIFF projects to date
Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming
Since 2017, SIFF has been supporting the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP), India, in its pioneering Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) programme to transition 6 million farmers from synthetic chemical farming to regenerative agriculture. This is an unprecedented transformation towards sustainable agriculture at a system scale that is enhancing the resilience of smallholders in varying agro-climatic zones, promoting gender-sensitive development and providing an opportunity for reclaiming planetary boundaries.
APCNF incorporates the best global practices from several agroecological principles, including regenerative agriculture, conservation agriculture, silvopasture, tree-intercropping, multi-strata agroforestry, and farmland restoration. The programme recognises that ecology-centric approaches are critical for achieving food security and meeting the needs of a global population of 9.7 billion by 2050 as the arable land area decreases and climate change creates unpredictable weather patterns. As 14 of the 17 SDGs depend on the status of natural resources, the successful scaling up of the programme also delivers an effective cross-sectoral strategy for achieving almost a quarter of the 169 SDGs targets.
Almost a million farmers have transitioned to natural farming, and women remain at the programme’s front end, leading a whole-of-community transformation. SIFF’s partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, leading to the effective scale-out of APCNF, presents a vetted solution for this global challenge facing countries and communities.
More about the programme – https://apcnf.in/ryss/
Air Quality and Community Health in Northern India
In 2019, India ranked 5 out of 98 countries based on the weighted average PM2.5 concentration levels, with 93% of the population exposed to the WHO’s least stringent interim targets of 35 micrograms per cubic meter (mpcm). Agricultural residue and biomass burning is common practice in the north-western states and a prime contributor to the build-up of aerosols in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Each year, paddy is sown on more than 3 million hectares in Punjab, generating 20 million tonnes of paddy residue. 65-70% of this residue is set on fire every year. It is estimated that by 2030, PM 2.5 emission levels will increase by 25% in the country, and emissions of major carcinogens like volatile organic compounds will see a 30% rise. On average, PM 10 levels across all major cities in India are expected to reach 150 µg/m3 by 2050.
In October and November, residue burning aggravated the poor air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Regions, with a contribution of 140 microgram/m2 to PM10 and 120 microgram/m2 to PM 2.5 particles. New Delhi now has the poorest air quality among cities globally, with PM2.5 concentration levels nearly ten times the WHO target. 1.7 million premature deaths were reported from air pollution, with more than ¾ of the 1.4 billion population exposed to particulate matter levels exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Air pollution also puts a great burden on the Indian economy, causing losses of USD 95 billion every year, ~3 % of India’s GDP.
SIFF is currently working with state governments and key industry actors to advance innovative ideas in biomass to bioethanol and biomass to bio-CNG conversion to remedy the situation.