Art of Living arm’s partnership with two co-op entities to boost natural farming
Officials of Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust and National Cooperative Organics Limited exchanging MoU in presence of Co-operation Secretary Ashish Bhutani
The Art of Living’s Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Trust (AOL-SSIAST) signed two pivotal Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL). These partnerships aim to build end-to-end value chains in indigenous seed preservation and natural produce marketing, bridging the gap between grassroots farmers and national markets.
The MoU signings took place in the presence of Ashish Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, marking a transformative step toward reviving India’s traditional agricultural strengths with modern scale and strategy.
The agreement with BBSSL focuses on the preservation, multiplication and promotion of indigenous seeds, vital for sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and food sovereignty. The key focus areas of the MoU include establishing community-based seed banks and seed keepers, joint seed research and farmer training programs, organizing seed festivals and awareness campaigns. Besides it also focusses on implementing blockchain-based traceability for seed authenticity and supporting the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF).
The second MoU with NCOL aims to streamline the aggregation, certification and marketing of organic produce cultivated by the AOL-SSIAST trained farmers across India. Highlights include the procurement and marketing support from NCOL’s cooperative network, organic certification through PGS and NPOP systems, training and mobilisation of organic farmers, logistics and post harvest support and strengthening of the organic cooperative movement.
Officials of The Art of Living’s Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust and Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited exchanging MoU
With the AOL-SSIAST’s presence across climate-sensitive regions and NCOL’s national infrastructure, this partnership is poised to make organic and natural produce accessible, traceable and scalable, domestically and internationally, a statement said.
Ashish Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, said, “These collaborations reflect the spirit of cooperative strength and grassroots innovation. By integrating traditional knowledge with modern systems, we are building a sustainable and inclusive agricultural model for India.”
Prasana Prabhu, Chairman, The Art of Living’s Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Trust (AOL-SSIAST), said, “Natural Farming begins with natural seeds. When we restore our native seed wealth, we restore health to our soil, strength to our farmers, and hope to future generations. Honouring the hands that grow our food is not just a commitment to agriculture, it is a commitment to nourish the nation in the right direction.”
The AOL-SSIAST has trained over 3 million farmers across 23 Indian states in natural farming practices. It has empowered 1.15 lakh farmers in suicide-prone districts and developed a nationwide network of over 2,300 certified trainers, converted 56,157 acres of farmland into climate-resilient, chemical-free zones and planted over 100 million trees planted across 36 countries and 26 Indian states. It has also planted 38.7 lakh Lakshmi Taru saplings planted, known for their medicinal value in cancer treatment research, created and dispersed 2.5 lakh seed balls as part of global reforestation efforts, earning recognition in the World Book of Records, the statement said.
Published on August 7, 2025
