Anand Mahindra, @anandmahindra – Chairman Mahindra Group:

• How do we ensure ‘food security’ for urban areas during a pandemic?
• Strategic stocks of grains aren’t enough. No variety of nutrition. And disrupted supply chains prevent produce from reaching cities.
• Cities need a ‘ring’ of organic-hence self contained-farms around them.
• The @naandi_india foundation led by @manoj_naandi have built a proof-of-concept.
• The self contained (all inputs, labour, seeds, machines & tools) fully organic #UrbanFarmsCo has been supplying 25 varieties of fresh vegetable even in these trying times.
• What they’ve created is a self sufficient cluster of organic farms with farmer-entrepreneurs as spokes and #UrbanFarmsCo as the central resource hub.
• The Model converts local biomass into quality farm inputs, including regenerative soil infused with beneficial microbes.
• Produce is bought & graded at central collection centres with high hygiene levels. The fresh nutrient dense produce is sold to consumers in Delhi.
• They’re already at farmer level profitability & on course to cluster profitability.
• This is the future of Food System in Cities.
• This Delhi cluster’s supplied 13T of vegetables including 2T during lockdown!
• ‘Food security’ should in future include such clusters around cities.
• @Rockefellerfdn has shortlisted @naandi_india for the Global Vision Prize.
• Full disclosure: I serve as chair of @naandi_india