Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) along with its members have been at the forefront of the efforts to maintain seed supply to the farmers during the COVID-19 lockdown period. FSII has been constructively engaging with the Central and state governments in representing needs of the seed industry and in getting the necessary policy support for the processing, packing and transportation of seeds necessary for the Kharif season. With the help of quick policy support from the governments, the members of FSII are now certain that there will be no shortage of seeds for the upcoming Kharif season.
Taking their contributions to the fight against COVID-19 and social responsibility a step higher, FSII members have now pledged donations of over Rs 9 crore towards PM-CARES Fund, Chief Minister relief funds and towards other measures like PPE, safety measures, food distribution and awareness programmes. This humanitarian aid is for scaling up healthcare support, sanitisation at containment zones, feeding communities and treatment of the disease.
FSII members have donated over Rs 1.97 crore towards PM-Cares Fund and Rs 2.44 crore to Chief Minister Relief Funds of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka. FSII members such as Mahyco, Rasi Seeds, Syngenta, Crystal and Corteva have pledged more than Rs. 1 crore each in relief measures to fight COVID-19.
Additionally, in Jalna (Maharashtra), Mahyco is providing food and grocery to villagers, meals and medical equipments to healthcare workers. The Group has also offered Eye Care Hospital for setting up COVID Care treatment and a College hostel for setting up quarantine facility.
Tamil Nadu based, Rasi Seeds have contributed in various ways in the state like providing boom sprayers for disinfecting places, providing Rs 1 lakh COVID insurance coverage to 2000 villagers and Rasi employees, relief to women farmers in tribal areas through NGO called ALC, distribution of 25,000 masks, PPEs and sanitisers to villagers and health workers.
Corteva is helping individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19. This year, Corteva will donate to PM Cares Fund in India and global food security organisations around the world that are helping those that are food insecure during these challenging times. The company is also donating supplies and materials that can be used by professionals who are working to treat and prevent the COVID-19 spread.
Syngenta has initiated a national helpline to support farmers during these distressing times. The company is also providing PPE kits to frontline health workers and farmers, undertaking sanitisation drives in Uttar Pradesh, providing relief material such as packed food through an NGO to farmers at Mandis, groceries to the underprivileged in villages. Under a rehabilitation programme, the company has committed Rs 1.73 crore.
Other FSII members like BASF, Bayer, Bioseed, Enza Zaden, HM Clause, I&B, JK, Kalash, Nirmal, Noble, Rallis, Rijkzwan, Seedworks, Savannah, Takii, Tokita are pledging over Rs 2.56 crores towards PM Cares Fund, CM’s Relief funds and are also reaching out to the municipalities, health officials and hospitals by providing them with PPE kits, sanitisers, gloves, face masks, sanitising cities, feeding people, providing healthcare support and running awareness campaigns across India. Voluntary contributions are also made by employees of FSII member companies which are being donated to the relief funds. Further, the member companies are also supporting their own employees at their factories with full healthy and safe work environment.
Certain large groups who are members of FSII are also contributing at a much larger scale. Bayer India, as part of the CSR, has dedicated Rs 7.2 crore that includes overall contribution from the company as well as employees. Bayer is providing PPE kits, masks, sanitisers, disinfectants and arranging for meals by supporting frontline healthcare workers, doctors, migrant labourers, quarantined patients and police personnel in all the major communities the company serves. Additionally, Maharashtra government is also supported by developing a digital tool for assessment and overall management of the pandemic.
Large efforts are made by DCM Sriram group which has committed Rs 10 crore towards PM Cares Fund, Rs 5 crore for initiatives directly taken up by the company to help communities and towards contribution to the funds set up by state governments. The staff and workers of DCM Sriram have raised Rs 82 lakh from their salaries, which will also be donated to the PM Cares Fund.
JK Group has committed Rs 10 crore towards PM Cares Fund. They are also reaching out at various locations across the country to help communities with food, water, masks, sanitisers, isolation wards/beds at health centres, development of ventilators and is running social distancing and awareness campaigns in more than 150 villages across the country.
Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) is a 42-member led association of R&D based seed industry. The member companies are engaged in the production of high-performance quality seeds for food, feed and fibre in the country. They are focused on research-based breeding applications and seed technologies, enabling farmers to adopt technology driven farming solutions to improve agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner.
