The mandate “Ethics…. Environment…. Equilibrium” has been integrated into “Sustainable Organic Management Systems” to strengthen the ecosystem via training and capacity-building.
The fundamental goal of Chetna Organic Agriculture Producer Company is to improve the livelihood of tribal smallholder farmers who depend on rain-fed agriculture by making their agricultural systems more successful and long-lasting. Chetna supports organic cotton farming and conducts collaborative research on the best practices based on agro-climatic circumstances, including seed trials to increase the productivity and marketability of farmers’ produce with a major focus on the production of Non-GMO-Seed Cotton as per the organic and fairtrade standards.
The journey in pursuit of promoting organic farming started in the year 2004, with 234 tribal farmers from 19 remote villages of Maharashtra & Telangana State spread to Odisha by the year 2007. The total membership under Chetna has grown to 13170 farmers by the end of March 2023, producing over 92190 quintals of “A” grade Organic & Fairtrade Certified Non-GMO-Organic Seed cotton.
Chetna Organic Agriculture Producer Company Limited was incorporated in 2009 under the Companies Act of 1956 and follows all the amendments coherently to adhere to the constitutional framework of the Act. The apex board is constituted of the Individual farmers practicing organic from the 3states of the project areas. The decision-making & voting power of the company solely lies with the member farmers.
Chetna’s mission and vision set a strategy for reaching out to the farmers while the constitution of Chetna provides the impetus for following the systems. The general assembly is the ultimate body that meets annually with the representatives across the Chetna project and makes key decisions ratified by the members.
Chetna Organic is supported by two organizations:
Chetna Organic Farmers Association (COFA) is a not-for-profit farmer support organization, engaged in technical training, social improvement, capacity-building policy, and initiating social development projects.
Chetna Organic Agriculture Producer Company Limited (COAPCL) is a commodity trading company established in 2009 that develops sustainable national and international market linkages for smallholder farmers’ agricultural products.