Livestock rearing plays a major role in the rural economy, with goats providing a valuable source of livelihood and pathway out of poverty - particularly for women. But many goat keepers experience high herd mortality and poor returns - due to traditional practices, lack of veterinary services, and poor feeding/sanitation practices.

"In my village, cotton farming is hard work and families often struggle to make a living, particularly now that the rains are increasingly unpredictable," says Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) farmer Balubhai Parmar.

Farmers remain a vulnerable section of the community and with the nation-wide Corona Virus lockdown taking place during the peak of rabi season in India, when crops like paddy, wheat, gram, lentil, and mustard are at harvestable stage or almost reaching maturity, farmers have had to face increased vulnerability.

Ambuja Foundation has been working in the hills of Himachal Pradesh for the last 2 decades, tackling social issues and community needs one by one.

In 2017 the Central Government launched an initiative to 'double farmer incomes' as a key way of tackling widespread poverty and resultant farmer suicides across the nation.

Agriculture is a way of life in India, and has a rich, traditional knowledge that is largely inherited within families - being passed from one generation to another.

Agriculture is a way of life in India and farming know how is traditionally passed on from one generation to another.

The agricultural sector is one of the key contributors to the water crisis in India, with 70% of all groundwater being pumped for inefficient flood irrigation purposes, which delivers only 35% water use efficiency.

Himachal Pradesh has a very hilly terrain with high undulating topography where people farm on small patches of land, often on slopes.

Over 2.3 crore pumps in India are drawing water, round the clock, to support agriculture - often to grow highly water intensive crops (such as rice, sugarcane, cotton and banana), sometimes in severely water stressed regions of the country.

Ambuja Foundation recently celebrated the news of Jitesh Joshi being selected as the 'Project Unit Manager of the Year' by Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) - BCGIF - Managed by IDH and has been invited to present his work on conservation of biodiversity at the Implementing Partners Meeting and Symposium in Cambodia in January 2020.

Godrej Agrovet Limited (GAVL) is a diversified, research and development focused agri-business company, dedicated to improving the productivity of Indian farmers through innovative products and services.