Kisan Diwas: Vedanta Aluminium reaffirms commitment to empower over 20,000 farmers

New Delhi: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening rural livelihoods by empowering over 20,000 farmers across Odisha and Chhattisgarh through technology-enabled and sustainable agricultural interventions, marking National Farmers Day (Kisan Diwas).

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The company’s initiatives focus on improving soil health, ensuring water security, enhancing farm productivity and promoting allied livelihoods through science-backed and climate-resilient farming practices. Of the total beneficiaries, more than 12,000 are women and over 8,000 are men, underlining Vedanta Aluminium’s emphasis on inclusive rural development.

Implemented across Jharsuguda and Kalahandi districts in Odisha and Korba district in Chhattisgarh, the programmes have resulted in an average productivity increase of 15–20 percent and income growth of 18–22 percent, driven by reduced input costs, diversified income streams and improved access to modern agricultural technologies.

Vedanta Aluminium’s flagship initiatives, Mor Jal Mor Maati in Chhattisgarh and VedGram and Sangam in Odisha, integrate traditional farming knowledge with modern scientific practices. These programmes promote regenerative agriculture, climate-smart cultivation models and water resource management. The company has also entered into MoUs with institutions such as ICAR–Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI) to develop sustainable soil conditioners from red mud, and with NABARD to support rural skilling and agricultural innovation.

Digital tools have emerged as key enablers, with farmers adopting solutions such as AI-enabled livestock health collars, digital insemination tools, and automated weather and water monitoring stations to improve precision farming and livestock management.

Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said the company’s engagement with farming communities reflects its broader vision of aligning industrial growth with rural prosperity. “By empowering farmers with technology, knowledge and sustainable practices, we are building resilient ecosystems that extend beyond agriculture,” he said.

In Odisha, Vedanta Aluminium has reached over 12,000 farmers across more than 60 villages through soil health improvement, water conservation and agri-horticulture initiatives, including WADI models and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) to enhance paddy yields while reducing water usage. Farmers have also benefited from organic farming workshops, livestock breed improvement and field-based trials aimed at climate resilience.

In Chhattisgarh, the Mor Jal Mor Maati programme has supported over 8,000 farmers across 40 villages by promoting water security, mechanisation and sustainable agriculture. Adoption of solar irrigation pumps, custom hiring centres and digital livestock solutions, along with allied livelihoods such as lac cultivation, has helped create additional income opportunities.

Vedanta Aluminium’s efforts align with the Government of India’s focus on scientific soil management, digital agriculture and farmer-friendly technologies under initiatives such as PM-KISAN, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Card Mission and the Digital Agriculture Mission. The company’s interventions also support several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty alleviation, decent work, innovation and climate action.

The agricultural initiatives form part of Vedanta Aluminium’s broader social impact agenda spanning education, healthcare, skill development and women’s empowerment. Overall, the company’s community development programmes have benefitted over seven lakh people across Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, produced 2.42 million tonnes of aluminium in FY25, accounting for more than half of India’s aluminium output, and ranks second globally in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024 for the aluminium industry.

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