Created in partnership with the Helpdesk on Business & Human Rights
In 2015, US consumer goods company Kellogg’s partnered with NGO CARE International to create the Origins Program, which aimed to empower women on smallholder farms in Madhya Pradesh, India. Although there are more female than male agricultural workers in India, women face significant barriers in accessing equal opportunities, financial services and land rights compared to men. The programme was implemented over a 2.5-year period in partnership with non-profit TechnoServe, designed to train 12,000 farmers — 36% of whom were women — in climate-smart agriculture. One of the aims of the programme was to improve female participation in the maize value chain to increase women’s earning potential. In 2019, Kellogg’s reported that one-third of the female farmers who received training under the programme started earning extra income by selling their surplus organic vegetables.
In 2020, the company expanded its collaboration with TechnoServe, launching a similar programme designed to empower smallholders in five districts across Uttar Pradesh. The programme includes enrolling women in local Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) to provide training in sustainable agricultural practices and promote their participation in agriculture. In 2020, the company trained 2,719 farmers, 88% of whom are women. The Origins projects have also expanded, with Kellogg’s having supported 40 active programmes across the world in helping farmers implement sustainable agriculture practices.