RPL Collaborative launches Compacts project in India's Madhya Pradesh

The Regenerative Production Landscape (RPL) Collaborative, founded by Laudes Foundation, IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative and WWF India, recently launched its Compacts initiative in Madhya Pradesh that will reach 120,000 farmers and cover 100,000 Hectares by 2026. The first Compact is being formed in Chhindwara district, which will reach 20,000 farmers, and bring 20,000 hectares under regenerative agricultural practices.

The second Compact will cover eight districts in the western part of the state, including parts of the Narmada Basin, to reach 120,000 farmers.

Initial members of the public-private-community partnership initiative include Inditex, H&M Group, IKEA, PepsiCo India, Neutral, Samunnati Finance, Jayanti Herbs and Spice, S.V. Agri, INI Farms, Cofe Farmer Producer Company, SRIJAN, Action for Social Advancement, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme.

The multi-stakeholder Compacts also includes key decision makers like farmer producer organisations and civil society organisations SRIJAN, Action for Social Advancement, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme.

The RPL Collaborative contributes to revitalising soil health, boosting smallholder farmer incomes, improving access to water, enhancing biodiversity, and addressing gender equity through the multi-stakeholder Compacts, a release from the initiative said.

Members of a Compact work together to leverage sustainability and social commitments at scale and mobilize financial support for sustainability projects at the landscape level.

It allows businesses to source responsibly while creating inclusive supply chain relationships, provides smallholder farmers and communities to thrive through greater participation in decision-making, and lets producers grow agri-commodities using natural and regenerative farming principles that restore natural resources and reduce emissions from farming systems.