In midst of the nationwide lockdown, Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) along with its members have been taking active participation in India’s fight against COVID-19 and at the forefront of the efforts to maintain seed supply lines to the farmers.
Moreover, 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 planting season.
FSII Pledges to Donate over Rs 9 Cr towards PM Cares Fund
Taking their contributions to the fight against COVID-19 and social responsibility a step higher, the FSII members have now pledged donations of over Rs 9 Cr 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.
As per reports, 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 Mahyco, Rasi, 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 to healthcare workers and medical equipments. 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 Rabi 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 25000 masks, PPE and sanitizers to villagers and health workers.
Corteva is committed to helping individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19. This year, Corteva will donate to PM Cares Fund in India and global food security organizations 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 sanitization 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 program, the company has committed Rs 1.73 crores.
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 health care support and running awareness campaigns across the country. 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 INR 7.2 crores that includes overall contribution from the company as well as employees. Bayer is providing PPE kits, masks, sanitizers, disinfectants and arranging for meals by supporting frontline healthcare workers, doctors, migrant laborers, 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 who 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 lakhs 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.
