GIZ, PepsiCo India and Bayer to launch climate-smart agriculture project

The new initiative has been named HARVEST (Holistic Agricultural Climate Resilience and Versatile Ecosystem Strengthening Techniques). The project is being implemented under the develoPPP program on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The activities will cover farming communities in the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The three-year program aims to train and build the capacity of 35,000 farmers.

The Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) has also joined the project to provide research support. Previously, PepsiCo and Bayer collaborated in the potato sector for two decades, and are now expanding their joint work to maize production. In addition, PepsiCo and GIZ previously cooperated within a project in Thailand in 2021–2025, which affected potato and rice value chains.

The HARVEST program will focus on the adoption of localized regenerative practices, including the use of cover crops. The primary focus is on soil health, efficient use of water resources and agrochemicals, crop diversification, as well as farming methods to reduce climate risks. The project aims to help farmers scale the transition to regenerative methods and reduce the associated risks.

As noted by Ulrike Ebeling, Country Director of GIZ in India and Bhutan, the program combines GIZ's experience with the innovation and expertise of PepsiCo and Bayer. Ashok Rai of PepsiCo India emphasized that the initiative builds upon the Positive Agriculture (pep+) agenda to help farmers adopt sustainable methods. Simon Wiebusch of Bayer pointed out the importance of combining science, innovation, and value chains to scale regenerative agriculture.