Blue Dart partners with Swades Foundation to enhance farmer income in Nashik.
Blue Dart Express has partnered with the Swades Foundation to rejuvenate Safed Musli cultivation in Nashik under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. This collaboration has significantly increased farmer incomes and promoted crop diversification.
Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum), known for its medicinal properties, faced endangerment due to unsustainable practices. Nashik’s Surgana taluka provides an optimal environment for its cultivation, but high planting costs hindered its adoption. In FY’23-24, Swades Foundation, focusing on rural empowerment, collaborated with Blue Dart to launch a pilot program with 82 households. Each household cultivated Safed Musli on 5 gunthas (5,000 sq feet) of land. Through training and support, farmers achieved a yield worth INR 1,200 per kilogram, resulting in an income of INR 28,575 per household.
Following the pilot’s success, 60 percent of farmers plan to expand cultivation to 20 gunthas (20,000 sq feet) in FY 2024-25, potentially earning INR 1-1.2 lakhs over 3-4 months. The initiative has not only improved soil health but also uplifted economically disadvantaged farmers. This success has sparked interest across Nashik, with plans to engage 800 more farmers and reach 54 Gram Panchayats in FY 2024-25. Swades Foundation also intends to establish a Farmer Producer Company dedicated to Safed Musli.
