Safety of farmer and farm laborer is becoming an increasingly critical factor for sustainable agriculture in India. Unfortunately, important factors such as health risks in agriculture owing to improper use of pesticides are not given much significance. Studies have shown that famers spend major part of their income on health care primarily due lack of preventive measures or lack of awareness. Therefore, the need of the hour is to increase awareness on health and hygiene of rural farmers.
Syngenta as a responsible corporate citizen is committed to health and safety of the farmers. As part of our stewardship activity, we train growers and farm laborers around the world to effectively minimize environmental impacts and adverse health incidents. Going one step further, Syngenta India introduced I-SAFE (Inculcating Safety Awareness for Farmer Empowerment) programme under CSR to collaborate with Government and NGOs to provide health and safety education and service to farmers and farm laborers. This programme is being implemented in more than 15 districts in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab and Haryana states. The key component of the project are -
- Spray men Agri-Entrepreneurship
- Farmer training on health, hygiene and safe use practices
- Farm labour/Spray men counselling
- Doctors Awareness programme
- Mobile Health Units