Bhoomgaadi Farmer’s Producer Company Ltd., founded on August 26, 2016, unites 3,000 tribal organic farmers from Dantewada, Chhattisgarh. This collective, primarily comprising women, connects indigenous organic produce from their community to urban markets across India, directly supporting their livelihoods and economic empowerment while championing organic farming.
The company sources over 30 varieties of local produce, including indigenous paddy, millets, pulses, oilseeds, and spices. These farmers adhere to natural farming practices rooted in health, purity, and flavor. Bhoomgaadi’s shareholder-driven structure empowers farmers to govern the organization through a collectively appointed Board of Directors, ensuring transparency and inclusion.
A cornerstone of Bhoomgaadi’s mission lies in empowering women farmers. The organization simplifies procurement processes, enabling even those without land titles to participate. Bhoomgaadi markets its products under the brand name Aadim, reflecting originality and ancestral heritage.
Bhoomgaadi incentivizes the preservation of traditional agricultural varieties by offering fair prices based on unique characteristics such as aroma and nutritional value. This approach helps revive endangered crop varieties and supports sustainable farming practices. Through Aadim, consumers access pure, chemical-free products while the company fosters ecological balance and uplifts farming communities.
In an exclusive discussion with The Interview World, Akash Badave, CEO of Bhoomgaadi Farmer’s Producer Company Ltd., and Sustainable Livelihoods Development Program, Nirmaan, shed light on the organization’s efforts to promote organic farming. He detailed the extensive network of farmers involved, highlighted the unique crops under cultivation, and shared insights into products poised for GI tags. Badave also emphasized the significant business volumes generated for farmers.
Here are the key takeaways from his conversation.
Q: Could you elaborate on how your organization is promoting and supporting organic farming?
A: We are Bhoomgaadi, a Farmer Producer Company based in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh—an organic farming hub with one of India’s largest contiguous organic farming areas, spanning approximately 80,000 hectares.
Our mission centers on organizing tribal farmers in the region and providing them with comprehensive ecosystem support. From seed supply to market access, we ensure they can seamlessly adopt natural and organic farming practices.
Through this approach, we empower farmers to conserve heritage crops, traditional varieties, millets, pulses, and more. These efforts not only preserve agricultural biodiversity but also enable farmers to connect their high-quality, organic produce with thriving markets.
Q: How many farmers are associated with your organization, and what are some of the unique crops you are producing?
A: Bhoomgaadi boasts a robust network of 3,000 shareholders and collaborates with nearly 10,000 families. Among the region’s treasures are unique aromatic rice varieties, such as Lokti Machi, Neem Phool, and Java Phool—each known for its distinct fragrance and exceptional quality.
We also promote millets like Chikma, which are rich in protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients. Additionally, the region is home to medicinal rice varieties such as Gudma and Satka. These varieties hold a prominent place in Ayurvedic texts and are widely used by traditional healers and Ayurvedic practitioners.
Our mission is to encourage farmers to grow, conserve, and cultivate these traditional crop varieties, preserving their heritage and ensuring their sustainability. Through these efforts, we protect the region’s agricultural biodiversity while creating opportunities for farmers to thrive.
Q: Which of your products have potential to receive the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in the near future?
A: Lokti Machi is a distinctive product from our region, currently undergoing the GI registration process. This aromatic rice stands out with its pearl-like grain—small, elegant, and rich in nutrients like zinc, iron, manganese, and magnesium, as confirmed by nutritional analysis. Its uniqueness and cultural significance make it a priority for registration.
Similarly, the Chikma variety of little millet holds deep cultural value in our region. It plays a central role in traditional rituals, as village deities are worshipped with this millet. Chikma is a short-duration, climate-resilient crop that matures in just 50 days, enabling farmers to harvest it twice in a single season. Its robustness allows it to thrive even under poor rainfall or challenging soil conditions, serving as a reliable support system for farmers. Packed with nutrients, Chikma is not just a crop but a lifeline for the community.
Another variety, Gudma rice, carries exceptional medicinal properties. Research highlights its anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and diabetes-friendly qualities. Culturally, it is cherished for its benefits to pregnant and lactating women, as well as for its role in addressing anemia and reducing swelling. Traditional healers have long used Gudma for its therapeutic value, cementing its importance in local practices. This unique rice is also in the process of GI registration to preserve its heritage and amplify its reach.
These varieties embody the region’s agricultural richness and cultural heritage, making their conservation and recognition through GI registration a crucial step forward.
Q: What is the volume of business your organization is generating for farmers?
A: We work with some of the most marginalized communities, where surplus production is often limited. Despite this challenge, creating niche markets for their unique produce has proven highly impactful.
So far, we have managed volumes of around 2,000 to 3,000 quintals. Moving forward, our focus is on scaling these efforts. However, market linkage remains a significant challenge. To address this, we aim to build strong product identities, enhance communication strategies, and drive demand for these unique offerings in broader markets.
As interest in these products steadily grows, we are actively encouraging the cultivation of these distinctive crops. By doing so, we not only support the farmers but also help preserve their agricultural heritage while meeting market demands.
