Since 2001, AOFG India has been promoting a number of activities and projects. The current projects are:
1. Organic Agriculture in Rural Development (OARD).
30 NGOs are involved in the promotion of organic agriculture in rural development. 2 villages have been adopted by each of the thirty NGOs. Training and support services are provided by AOFG-India. The main goal of the project is to reach the message of organic agriculture in rural areas and demonstrate the same for rural development, poverty reduction, ecological farming, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation and protection of environment.
2. UNCCD-NAP Project.
AOFG India initiated a series of activities for the promotion of National Action Program to Combat Desertification under UNCCD. AOFG India assisted the Department of Water and Soil conservation, Government of Nagaland to set up a project in three districts of Nagland State as a pilot and is funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF).
3. AOFG India Project on “Fairtrade and Organic Farming in India”.
This is an ambitious project of the farmer associations and farmer companies providing quality extension through farmer field schools, value addition, supply chain and marketing. The commodity focus are : Coffee, spices, cotton and fruits. The project is funded by SHGW, AC Laren, The Netherlands. The project started during 2006. As part of the project one marketing company, namely:- Zameen Organic Pvt. Ltd was set up. Farmers of Adilabad (AP) and Amaravati (Maharastra) are part of the company. The Coffee & Spices project operations are carried out in Kerala focusing Western Ghats:- Kumily, Adimali and Wayanadu. As part of the project, four farmer limiteds were set up and 15,000 farmers are associated as members and producers of the farmer companies. The fruit project is operating at the Eastern Himalayas. The production, procurement and supply chain is conducted reducing the long chain of middleman.
4. National seminar.
AOFG India is organizing National seminars and workshops on Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Private Partnership in agriculture innovations.
5. Joint project promotion.
AOFG India in association with Agriculture Finance Corporation of India Limited (AFCL- A Company set up by Indian Banks) promoting the Farmer Companies drawing support from Planning Commission of India and negotiating with RABO Bank for enhanced funding support to farmer companies.
AOFG India Coffee & Spices Project, Western Ghats, Kerala
AOFG India has made a perspective planning on Western Ghats of Kerala Region, agriculture crops, farmers and development. The Western Ghats are heavily populated due to large scale migration and population increase. The farmer settlements are a serious threat to natural biodiversity and environment. Majority of farmers are small land holding farmers who depend upon family farming as means of livelihood, food and survival.
AOFG India is organizing small and marginal farmers focusing coffee and spices at Kumily, Adimali (Idukki District) and Puttad (Wayanadu District) in the form of farmer groups, cluster level farmer associations, regional farmer associations and farmer limiteds. So far 8,500 farmers are organized and the final involvement would be 15,000 farmers belonging to small and marginal category of farming families.
Land has been secured for setting up Coffee pulping units and spices drying units at Kumily (Pusphagiri), Adimali and Puttad. Five Tone per shift coffee pulping unit is established at Adimali, Kampiline. Twenty Tone per shift coffee pulping unit is established at Puttad, Wayanadu to produce plantation quality coffee dry beans (Parchment) for marketing. Four farmer companies were established and starts functioning. The target is production of 2,500 MT Clean Coffee Beans (Parchment).
AOFG India and the Farmer Promoted Company; Western Ghat Agricultural Products Processing Private Limited (WAPCO) acquired 4.5 Acres of land at the Kakancherry Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Calicut for the setting up of a 1,000 MT Installed Capacity Coffee Blending, Roasting, Powdering and Packaging Unit and 500 MT Spices processing Unit. As part of the program, a Farmers Service Centre and Knowledge Centre will be set up to benefit the farmers.
AOFG India Assisted Cotton Project
AOFG India is assisting the Cotton project being implemented at Amaravati and Adilabad. The project is currently work with 6,500 farmers of Amaravati, Maharastra and Kagaznagar, Adilabad, Andhrapradesh. Farmers are assisted for organic and fair trade certification and marketing. Cotton marketing is carried out by Zameen Organic Pvt. Ltd a company initially promoted jointly by AOFG India and farmers. The project is promoting a seed production program and attain self reliance in input availability for the production of organic and fair trade cotton.
A National Project Office (NPO) is functioning from Hyderabad with two regional Offices at Kagaznagar and Amaravati.