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Cultivating a Safer, Smarter Farming Ecosystem
C-SAFE (Centre for Sustainable Agriculture & Farm Excellence) was launched to commemorate 150 years of the Tata Group. Initiated in 2019, its core objective is to pilot, establish, and promote SAFE, sustainable, and scalable models that foster value creation, environmental safety, and food security.
At the heart of every C-SAFE intervention is the farmer—particularly small and marginal ones—organised through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) as vital players in the agro value chain. By opening newer opportunities across the farming ecosystem, considerable benefits are ensured for all stakeholders involved.
Vision
From Farm to Future: Boosting Agro Potential
C-SAFE is created to unlock opportunities for sustainable agriculture practices. Our aim is to support farmer livelihoods through sustainable agriculture methods, bridging institutional markets, encouraging women and youth participation, and offering financial and infrastructural support.
Our Approach
Channelling Innovation. Empowering Agro Ecosystem
C-SAFE is dedicated to improving the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers through sustainable agricultural practices, quality production, and robust market linkages. Our farmer-first approach focuses on scientific advisory, cluster formation, and value chain development of Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), enabling long-term resilience and economic empowerment for rural communities.
We also evaluate FPCs on key performance indicators, offering targeted support to enhance their operational capacity and help them evolve into model institutions for sustainable growth.
Our vision is anchored in objectives that enable its realisation, including:
Farmer Advisory Services: Delivering timely, science-based crop guidance on integrated pest and nutrient management, and efficient water use to boost productivity and sustainability.
Scalable and Replicable Models: Piloting sustainable practices such as nursery management, crop diversification, and floriculture training to build long-term income streams for farmers.
Market Linkages & Institutional Buyers: Connecting FPCs with institutional buyers like Big Basket, ensuring fair pricing through quality-led procurement and reduced market volatility.
Financial and Infrastructure Support: Farmers are provided access to finance—through revolving funds, pledge finance, subsidies, and infrastructure such as refrigerated vans, storage units, and grading facilities.
Climate Resilience & Sustainable Practices: Promoting farm ponds, water conservation, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and organic farming to enhance environmental adaptability.
Digital Inclusion for Farmer Empowerment: Advancing digital literacy and enabling participation in schemes like MSP procurement and NCCF to improve financial security and price realisation.
Farmer-led Aggregation Models: Strengthening Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to lead in aggregation, procurement, and value addition, reducing dependency on intermediaries and improving returns.
Women & Youth Inclusion: Fostering gender-inclusive agriculture by supporting women leaders like Sunita Vilas Shinde in chili cluster development and encouraging youth in profitable, modern farming.
Policy Advocacy & Institutional Strengthening: Collaborating with policymakers, financial bodies, and ecosystem stakeholders to create an enabling policy environment for smallholders.
Scaling Value Chain Interventions: Expanding post-harvest infrastructure—such as orange sorting and grading plants for oranges, maize processing, and vegetable value chains—to maximise farmer income.
Our Projects
Challenges faced by farmers:
- Inconsistent market access.
- Price fluctuations.
- Limited knowledge of high‑value vegetable cultivation.
Our Interventions:
- Development of Exotic Vegetables & Chilli Cluster.
- Comprehensive support for cluster development.
- Conducted capacity‑building sessions.
- Market linkages with major buyers ensuring stable demand & fair price.
As a result:
- 100 farmers in Exotic Vegetable Cluster earning an average of ₹400 per day.
- 70 chili farmers increased their income by ₹27,000 on average.
- 12% average productivity increase in Kharif season across all vegetable farmers.
- Enhanced farmer earnings through direct market access.
Challenges faced by farmers:
- Post-harvest losses.
- High transport costs.
- Limited access to value addition opportunities.
Our Interventions:
- Established Maize Process Facilities.
- Linked farmers to onion aggregation and processing units.
- Implemented farm waste management for maize residues.
As a result:
- Improved shelf-life, market price realisation and value addition.
- 400 farmers benefitted from maize processing, generating ₹68 lakh made from 1,200 MT of maize.
- 120 farmers earned ₹2,500 extra per season through farm waste linkages.
Challenges faced by farmers:
- Inconsistent produce quality.
- Distress sales.
- Lack of infrastructure.
Our Interventions:
- Farmers were linked with the Shramjivi FPC Orange Value Chain for sorting, grading, waxing, and packaging.
- Help farmers obtain G.I certification and GAP Compliance.
- Improved institutional market linkages.
As a result:
- Earnings increased by 10% through procurement as per quality assessment.
- The FPC expanded its processing capacity from 800 MT to 1,500 MT using a revolving fund, enabling it to serve more farmers.
Challenges faced by farmers:
- Lacked access to post-harvest processing.
- Market price fluctuations.
- Limited exposure to sustainable methods.
Our Interventions:
- Facilitated adoption of improved pulses and oilseed varieties.
- Implemented crop diversification programs.
- Linked farmers with FPC for cotton waste management.
- Farmers were registered for MSP procurement through NAFED.
As a result:
- Additional income and improved income stability.
- 100 farmers adopted crop diversification, 16% increase in income.
- 45 farmers earned ₹2,500 extra per season through farm waste linkages.
- Market access and quality-based pricing improved for pulses and oilseeds.
- MSP procurement helped farmers to reduce dependency on local traders.
Challenges faced by farmers:
- Low Productivity.
- Poor Market Linkages.
- Lack of Technical Support.
Our Interventions:
- Launched capacity-building programs, including 11 training sessions and 120 crop demonstrations.
- Developed floriculture clusters to diversify income sources.
- Linked farmers with niche and institutional markets to ensure fair pricing.
As a result:
- 40 floriculture farmers earned an additional ₹40,000 per season.
Backyard Farming:
- 400 farmers engaged in backyard farming initiatives.
- Saving grocery costs.
- An additional ₹7,500 was earned over three months.
Government Scheme Conversions:
- Facilitated farmer registrations in schemes.
- ₹2.2 crore in benefits were realised.
Value Addition & Market Access:
- This led to improved income stability.
- Farmers across Sangamner, Sinnar, and Amravati collectively unlocked ₹92 lakhs from a total produce value of ₹535 lakh.
Live Coverage
C-SAFE is a direct outreach programme that has touched the lives of farming communities in rural areas. Through our initiatives and FPCs, we’ve driven value chain development, market access, and climate-resilient farming—unlocking higher incomes and long-term growth for rural communities.
