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<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Obamas paid tribute to late Tafari Campbell, who worked as their personal chef.</li><li>Campbell died while paddleboarding at the Obamas' Martha's Vineyard estate.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-did-barack-and-michelle-obama-meet-2017-10">Barack and Michelle Obama</a> have paid tribute to their personal chef, Tafari Campbell, who <a href="https://www.insider.com/obamas-chef-died-while-paddle-boarding-near-marthas-vineyard-estate-2023-7">died while paddleboarding near the couple's Martha's Vineyard estate</a> in July.Campbell, 45, worked at the Obama White House as a sous chef, and continued working as a personal chef for the Obama family after they left office. Campbell had been visiting Martha's Vineyard and was near the Obamas' estate when he went missing while paddleboarding in Edgartown Great Pond on July 23, local officials said. <a href="https://www.mspnews.org/post/update-2-msp-divers-environmental-police-recover-body-of-paddle-boarder-from-edgartown-great-pond" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Massachusetts State Police</a> said they recovered Campbell's body the following morning approximately 100 feet from the shore. Police said that the Obamas weren't present at their Massachusetts home at the time of the incident.In social-media posts on Thursday, the Obamas shared photos of themselves with Campbell from their White House years."Tafari Campbell showed us what true character looks like," Barack captioned <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvfr4ekvSaJ/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his Instagram post</a>. "He believed that actions speak louder than words. And he used his immense gifts to bring people together, provide comfort, and spread joy. I'll miss him every day.""I will miss my friend, Tafari...the emptiness is hard," the former first lady wrote in a separate <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvfr53COPVg/?img_index=1">Instagram post</a>. "But I promise to stay strong, keep living, and honor your legacy in every way possible. Rest in peace, my brother."<div type="image" title="Tarafi Campbell in the White House kitchen in 2012" height="582" width="776" msid="102433314" hostid="261" sizebytes="31212"></div>The Obamas previously released <a href="https://www.insider.com/obamas-chef-died-while-paddle-boarding-near-marthas-vineyard-estate-2023-7">a statement</a> sent to Insider on July 24 after Campbell had been found dead."Tafari was a beloved part of our family. When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House — creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together. In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter," the statement read."That's why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed," it continued. "He's been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he's gone."Campbell is survived by his wife Sherise and their twin boys, according to the statement.The Massachusetts State Police said that the chief medical examiner's office "found no evidence that the death was suspicious" after a post-mortem examination, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-obama-chef-drowning-vineyard-452209903189" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a> reported.The Massachusetts State Police did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Barack and Michelle Obama paid tribute to late personal chef Tafari Campbell: 'The emptiness is hard'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The body of a paddle boarder was recovered from a pond near the Obamas' Martha's Vineyard home.</li><li>Police identified the man as Tafari Campbell, 45, a personal chef for the Obamas.</li></ul>The body of a missing paddle boarder found in a pond near Barack Obama's Massachusetts property on Monday has been identified as the former president's personal chef, <a href="https://www.mspnews.org/post/update-3-joint-search-operation-underway-for-missing-paddle-boarder-on-edgartown-great-pond?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=blog.post-promoter&amp;utm_campaign=74f3a1c0-b286-4c3f-9859-7aa53f5e018f&amp;fbclid=IwAR2OnxuMomDpmOuuTdO55Pp_JoIPhEbzrwxYPhRefrLNOYSdHISKGdwQ678" target="_blank" rel="noopener">authorities said Monday.</a>Tafari Campbell, 45, served as a White House sous chef during the Obama administration and continued to work for the former president and his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, after Obama left office.Campbell was paddleboarding in Edgartown Great Pond in Martha's Vineyard on Sunday, and disappeared that evening, local officials said. <a href="https://www.mspnews.org/post/update-2-msp-divers-environmental-police-recover-body-of-paddle-boarder-from-edgartown-great-pond" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts State Police</a> said they started searching the waters near the Obama estate on Sunday after receiving reports of a missing paddle boarder.Authorities said they recovered Campbell's body around 10 a.m. ET on Monday morning, approximately 100 feet from shore at a depth of about eight feet.The Obamas were not present at their Martha's Vineyard home at the time of the accident, police said. Campbell had been visiting the sprawling estate where the Obamas spend part of their summer.The former first couple released a statement on Monday sent to Insider: "Tafari was a beloved part of our family. When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House — creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together. In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter."That's why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He's been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he's gone."Campbell is survived by his wife Sherise and their twin boys, according to the Obama statement.An investigation into Campbell's death is ongoing, authorities said.

The Obamas' personal chef died while paddle boarding near the former first couple's Martha's Vineyard estate: police

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Adam Berry/Getty Images</div></div></div><ul><li>People who are hired to sift through online postings that have been flagged on platforms like Facebook and YouTube say the job takes a tremendous psychological toll.</li><li>The moderators are frequently tasked with watching disturbing video and images of child sexual abuse, violence, animal cruelty, and more.</li><li>One former moderator described the role as "watching the content of deranged psychos ... who don't have a conscience."</li></ul> A legion of temporary employees who are tasked with moderating content on platforms like Facebook and YouTube say they were unprepared for the emotional and psychological toll the job would take.The content moderators are hired to sift through online posts, including pictures and video that were flagged as inappropriate. Several of those employees shared their experiences <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-worst-job-in-technology-staring-at-human-depravity-to-keep-it-off-facebook-1514398398">in a Wall Street Journal report</a> published Wednesday night.Moderators said they watched images of war victims who had been "gutted," and "child soldiers engaged in killings." A former moderator who worked at Facebook recalled watching video of a cat thrown into a microwave, The Journal reported.Shaka Tafari, who moderated content on the Whisper messaging app, said he was "alarmed" by the number of messages that contained references to rape, or included images of bestiality and animal abuse."I was watching the content of deranged psychos in the woods somewhere who don't have a conscience for the texture or feel of human connection," Tafari told The Journal.Tech giants oversee thousands of content moderators - jobs that are typically staffed through temporary employment agencies and have a high turnover rate due to the nature of the work. But that turnover could also be attributed to the emotional stress of the role, according to former employees interviewed by The Journal.Some of those people claimed they had few tools to deal with the aftereffects of a job that required them to consume some of the most depraved material on the internet. Content moderators at Facebook and Microsoft are offered various avenues for psychological counseling, The Journal reported, but some of the employees said it was not enough. Moderators typically left the job within a year or less.Content moderation became a hot-button issue on Facebook in particular this year after the fallout from the 2016 US election, when it was revealed that Russia leveraged the platform to execute influence campaigns that boosted then-candidate Donald Trump and disparaged his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.Though Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg initially balked at the notion, the social-media platform later admitted that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-126-million-americans-saw-russia-posts-2017-10">Russia-based operatives published some 80,000 posts</a> on the platform over a two-year period.The matter gained heightened urgency this week when <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/kremlin-trolls-burned-across-the-internet-as-washington-debated-options/2017/12/23/e7b9dc92-e403-11e7-ab50-621fe0588340_story.html?utm_term=.f26f0937769a">The Washington Post reported</a> that Russia's election-influence efforts would likely continue, as officials recently warned that digital platforms are still vulnerable to such misuse. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-boeing-747-front-hump-2016-11">Here's why Boeing 747s have a giant hump in the front</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

 Content moderators for tech giants like Facebook and YouTube reveal what it's like to sift through some of the most disturbing material on the internet 

New Delhi, Dec 11 () US retail giant Walmart and Flipkart on Wednesday said they will jointly invest in Bengaluru-based business-to-business (B2B) supply chain company, Ninjacart.
The three partners aim to help ensure better access to high-quality fresh produce for retailers and consumers across India while also creating economic opportunities for farmers, a statement said. 
 The company however did not disclose the financial details of the transaction.
 "Partnering with Ninjacart will help Walmart and Flipkart strengthen direct sourcing of fresh produce for Walmart India's Best Price B2B cash-and-carry stores and Flipkart's online grocery business Supermart," it added. 
The investment will also support Ninjacart to expand its customer base, reach new cities and gain exposure to global best practice to enhance the efficiency of the local fresh produce ecosystem, the statement added.
 Ninjacart was founded by Thirukumaran Nagarajan, Kartheeswaran K K, Ashutosh Vikram, Sharath Loganathan and Vasudevan Chinnathambi in 2015.
In the past, Ninjacart has raised money from funds such as Tiger global, Accel partners, Steadview Capital, Syngenta Ventures, Qualcomm ventures and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani. 
 Ninjacart connects farmers to retailers via a network of more than 200 collection centres and 1,200 warehouses across India. It moves over 1,400 tonnes of fresh produce per day.
It has over 44,000 farmer suppliers and a customer base of 60,000 kirana stores and restaurants across seven cities. 
"Developing Flipkart Supermart over the past year, we have focused on creating the right infrastructure, supporting local farmers, producers and food processors, and building sustainability into the ecosystem," Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said. 
 Thirukumaran Nagarajan, CEO and Co-founder of Ninjacart, said with the support of Flipkart and Walmart, the company sees new possibilities to improve the lives of its farmers, retailers and restaurant partners.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of the month. 
 "Ninjacart's focus on direct-from-farm sourcing resonates well with Walmart's commitment to supporting farmers in India. We are working towards our commitment of sourcing 25 per cent of produce in our Best Price cash-and-carry stores directly from farmers by 2023," Walmart India President and CEO Krish Iyer said.
The investment, he said, will help accelerate market access for farmers and reduce transportation costs. SR DRR

Walmart, Flipkart invest in Bengaluru-based Ninjacart

Mumbai, Jun 17 () German drug and agrochemicals major Bayer on Wednesday said it will support four lakh smallholder farmers across 17 states in India through its new global initiative 'Better Farms, Better Lives'. Through this initiative, Bayer will support 20 lakh smallholder farmers in Asia, Africa and Latin America, with free Better Life Farming care packages, the company said in a statement. These packages will be designed for farmers' local needs and will include a combination of Bayer's hybrid seeds, crop protection products, personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety and training materials. In India, the initiative will support 4,00,000 smallholder farmers in 204 districts across 17 states, spanning key crops such as rice, corn, vegetables and millet. Special focus will be given to women smallholder farmers and migrant labourers, who have returned to their villages and plan to take up farming in their small family farms, it said. In addition, Bayer will handhold farmers from sowing to harvest with advisory on crop, disease and pest management and help improve market access for their produce. "Smallholder farmers play a crucial role in ensuring food security for India, but the ongoing COVID-19 situation has impacted their ability to grow sufficient food for their families and communities. "Lockdowns and restrictions on movement have impacted access to seeds, crop protection inputs and labor," Bayer CropScience CEO and Global Lead for Bayer's smallholder farming initiatives D Narain said. This initiative aims to provide immediate additional support to smallholder farmers in the form of agri-inputs and advisory during this Kharif season and beyond, he said. "It will also strengthen the livelihoods of smallholder communities most impacted by COVID-19. In the long-term, we aim to help smallholder farmers achieve higher crop yields and use their farms as a source of sustainable income, rather than just a means to survive," Narain added. Bayer will distribute the care packages to smallholder farmers in India through its local networks of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) focused on agriculture. SM ABM ABM

COVID-19: Bayer to provide seeds, PPE to 4 lakh small farmers in India

An Austin, Texas startup is trying to help people establish better relationships with local farmers. 
The startup, called <a href="http://www.citysprout.com">CitySprout</a>, serves as a virtual farmers' market, connecting customers directly with Austin-area food growers through an online network.
The concept isn't new. A n<a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/tech-startups-create-virtual-farmers-market">umber of startups</a> are currently trying to capitalize on the locavore food trend. 
But CitySprout differs from some of its competitors, like <a href="http://www.goodeggs.com/welcome">Good Eggs</a> and <a href="http://www.relayfoods.com/Home/Welcome?returnUrl=%2F">Relay Foods</a>, in that it doesn't handle any of the packaging or delivery of the food. That's all left to the farmers. 
"We want our customers to be able to build relationships with their local food merchants," CitySprout CEO Will Trienens said in an interview with Business Insider. "We're not packaging any of the food in warehouses, like some of our competitors... When our customers buy honey, they actually pick it up from the beekeeper." 
The company wants to simply be a "conduit" for farmers to sell their meat, produce and other products, he said. In return, the company charges a 20% fee to the farmers.
"This is the eBay for local food," Trienens said. "We want to be as removed from the actual process as possible."
Here's how it works: The website allows consumers to "join" a pickup location where the farmers will deliver their groceries. Each location has a separate web page, where users can connect with each other to discuss recipes, comment on specific produce, or vote on pickup dates and times.
When farmers select a pickup location as part of their delivery route, their produce becomes available to the customers who are members of that location. Customers can then make orders online.
Here's an example of available produce from various farms:
 
CitySprout members can also "sponsor" a new pickup location and solicit friends, coworkers or neighbors to join the location via email or social media. 
The online tools enable customers to establish and grow their own communities of local food enthusiasts.
Since launching with one pickup location last February, CitySprout is now adding roughly 1,000 members weekly. The company has 11,000 members total and is seeking $2 million in their second round of financing. 
 The next step for the company will be expanding into a new market, Trienens said.
First on the list for possible expansion is Boston, followed by Dallas and Portland.

This Startup Makes It Possible To Know The People Who Grow Your Food

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11998211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="turkey" source="Orion">Turkey</keyword> is the world's largest producer of hazelnuts.</li><li>But its currency collapse is hurting this industry and could lead to <keyword id="11894141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="shortages" source="Orion">shortages</keyword>, the WSJ reported.</li></ul>Turkey is experiencing a currency collapse that's making it more expensive to produce hazelnuts, which could lead to shortages in the global <keyword id="11894138" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="supply-chain" source="Orion">supply chain</keyword> that would impact buyers such as Nutella-maker <keyword id="12777697" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ferrero" source="Orion">Ferrero</keyword>. Turkey is the world's <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d20709a5-68b9-4261-a8a0-97f68e6c086f">largest producer of hazelnuts</a>,According to a new report from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fturkeys-currency-crisis-slams-the-nutella-global-supply-chain-11639996201%3Fmod%3Dhp_lead_pos11">The Wall Street Journal</a>, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to cut interest rates and the <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/12/1/turkey-lira-crashing-will-currency-crisis-worsen">resulting crash in the value of the lira</a> is having a knock-0n effect on <keyword id="12777698" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hazelnut" source="Orion">hazelnut</keyword> farmers. These farmers say it has become costlier to buy imported products such as fertilizer and seeds used to produce hazelnuts. Because of this, some farmers are making fewer nuts, which could lead to shortages, the Journal wrote. "The world is on the verge of hazelnut shortage," Turgan Zülfikar, a consultant based in the US that advises Turkish companies on entering the US market, told The Journal."If you are a <keyword id="12205017" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nutella" source="Orion">Nutella</keyword> fan, you better stock up at your next food-shopping visit," he said.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/giovanni-ferrero-net-worth-family-billionaire-nutella-italy-richest-man-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Nutella-maker Ferrero</a> buys around <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d20709a5-68b9-4261-a8a0-97f68e6c086f">one-third of Turkey's hazelnut exports</a>. Its Kinder Bueno and Ferrero Rocher chocolates also use hazelnuts as a key ingredient. Ferrero didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. The company also did not respond to the Journal's requests for comment. Higher costs for farmers could ultimately lead to higher consumer prices or see buyers head to other markets to source hazelnuts. Italian-based company Ferrero has already been looking to shift its dependence away from Turkey to its home country. But while Italy is the second-biggest producer of hazelnuts, Turkey remains <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d20709a5-68b9-4261-a8a0-97f68e6c086f">leagues ahead</a> in this market.

Expert says shoppers should stock up on Nutella as a hazelnut shortage looms

Farmers make up about 24.8 per cent of India’s total workforce, with over 118.9 million farmers spread across the length and breadth of the country. Agriculture is the largest livelihood provider in India contributing a significant percentage to its GDP. It has witnessed green, yellow and blue revolution and now it is a proud participant of the mobile revolution too. 
 
 

	Here are 3 companies and their services which are helping farmers communicate with the market directly, thus making the gap between buyer and farmer smaller by the day! 
	 
	

	 
	 RainbowAgri- On <keyword id="2917034" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rainbow-Agri">Rainbow Agri</keyword>, they have a host of services where farmers can talk to communities, users and farmers can buy and sell local products and buyers can even get live price updates. One can even connect with neighbourhood farmers directly and see real images of their crop. Rainbow Sell gets farmers, street vendors and even small stores to reach buyers in their local areas and even customize deliveries to suit the buyer’s needs, by holding provisions for discounts, enter details in local language and even track the status of the order. With Rainbow Live Price, all the crops in India are arranged by location, weather, market names and of course type and is pretty comprehensive. It is often called the internet of farmers. 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 

	MandiTrades- One can get information about commodity prices directly provided by the Government of India, produce info and a map based view of available farm products with the ability of connecting to a required farmer via just a simple phone call through this app. A buy/sell platform aims to solve the problems of marketing and farmers can avoid the daily struggle to sell their produce. When they register with the site, it captures all of their produce and location details and updates its database. Farmers can know of average demand, peak/low demand season, in and off season needs, rare items and their prices and can plan their farms accordingly. 
	 
	 

	

	 
	 Mpower Social- Livestock farming is one of the most important forms of livelihood for many families. Unfortunately the ratio of registered veterinarians to cattle is very low and Mpower’s <keyword id="2917032" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ICT-Livestock-Management-Systems">ICT Livestock Management Systems</keyword> (LMS) aims to decrease this gap by connecting livestock professionals to small holder farmers via Livestock intermediaries. These Livestock workers register the farmers, gather regular updates about their cattle and provide expert medical advice – all through their mobile application. This reduces the cost of consulting an expert or a doctor. (image credits: Facebook, <keyword id="2917033" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mandi-Trades">Mandi Trades</keyword>, historydiscussion.net)

3 Apps that can revolutionize India’s Agriculture sector, very easily!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Pork prices are plummeting due to absent workers,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sick-workers-closures-hit-meat-suppliers-sparking-shortage-fears-2020-4"> shuttered pork packaging plants,</a> and a loss of buyers in restaurants and international markets due to the coronavirus pandemic.</li><li>The president of the National Pork Producers Council said that the number of baby pigs that are euthanized would "soar dramatically" if the government does not intervene, as farmers consider killing pigs to cut losses.</li><li>Farmers are expected to lose $37 on every hog they sell as prices drop, with the industry expecting almost $5 billion in losses for the rest of 2020. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Farmers say that plummeting pork prices might force them to euthanize baby pigs to cut losses.Hog farmers are struggling in the face of absent workers,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sick-workers-closures-hit-meat-suppliers-sparking-shortage-fears-2020-4"> shuttered pork packaging plants,</a> and a loss of buyers in restaurants and international markets due to the coronavirus pandemic.The result is a glut of excess hogs, making it more expensive to sell pigs to be made into pork than to simply kill the animals. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) said on Tuesday that farmers will lose almost $37 per hog and almost $5 billion collectively for every hog marketed for the rest of 2020, citing economists Dr. Dermot Hayes and Dr. Steve Meyer. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the NPPC said analysts predicted farmers would earn roughly $10 per hog. On a call with reporters, NPPC President Howard Roth said that euthanizing is going to start coming up in farmers' discussions "absent immediate and significant government intervention,"<a href="https://twitter.com/adambelz/status/1250125560187142146"> Star Tribune's Adam Belz tweeted.</a> According to Roth, the number of baby pigs being euthanized will <a href="https://twitter.com/adambelz/status/1250133582154272768">"soar dramatically"</a> without intervention. "Hogs are backing up on farms with nowhere to go, leaving farmers with tragic choices to make," Roth said in a statement. "Dairy producers can dump milk. Fruit and vegetable growers can dump produce. But, hog farmers have nowhere to move their hogs."The NPPC is <a href="http://nppc.org/hog-farmers-face-covid-19-financial-crisis/">asking</a> that the federal government purchase more than $1 billion in backed-up meat supply, which the USDA can use to supply food banks. The organization is also seeking equitable direct payments to pork producers and to allow family farms to take out emergency loans offered by the Small Business Administration. <h2>Many farmers are destroying food, even as the country faces shortages</h2>Farmers across the US are destroying food or leaving it to rot as they deal with massive supply chain issues. Dairy farmers have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/milk-dumped-as-stores-limit-due-to-shortages-why-2020-4">dumped</a> thousands of gallons of milk and farmers have let fruit and vegetables rot in their fields, after their typical commercial customers of restaurants, theme parks, and schools abruptly shuttered. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/driscolls-ceo-says-crops-will-rot-without-government-bailout-2020-4">Driscoll's president Soren Bjorn told Business Insider</a> that the company will let 10-15% of its crop "end up in the ditch" if the berry producer doesn't receive government funding to donate it to food banks. Massive production plants have been forced to shutter after workers have been diagnosed with COVID-19, causing further supply chain problems.In the meat industry, Smithfield Foods closed a South Dakota plant that supplies up to 5% of all pork in the US after more than 290 workers were diagnosed with COVID-19. Other major meat processors, including JBS USA, Tyson, and Cargill, have also closed down plants after employees caught the coronavirus. Closed plants and a loss of buyers mean that stores are dealing with shortages as farmers face an excess of food. Retailers like Costco and Walmart have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/milk-dumped-as-stores-limit-due-to-shortages-why-2020-4">limited how much milk and toilet paper customers can buy,</a> even when producers are dealing with a massive excess of inventory. "The closure of this facility, combined with a growing list of other protein plants that have shuttered across our industry, is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply," Smithfield CEO Kenneth Sullivan said in a statement on Sunday.He added: "It is impossible to keep our grocery stores stocked if our plants are not running."Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus you'd like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? Please email <a href="mailto:covidtips@businessinsider.com">covidtips@businessinsider.com</a> and tell us your story.Get the latest <a href="/coronavirus-business-impact">coronavirus business &amp; economic impact analysis</a> from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is affecting industries.

Farmers say they may have to kill and discard baby pigs as slaughterhouses close and the industry faces losing $5 billion

In <keyword id="200243" type="LOCATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Dungarpur">Dungarpur</keyword> district of <keyword id="6355588" type="LOCATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajasthan">Rajasthan</keyword> where 92 percent of the population is economically backward and exceptionally vulnerable to environmental hazards, many farmers struggled with lack of knowledge and poor farming practices. Today, improved farming in Dungarpur is not only changing the way families cultivate crops or vegetables, but also influence the quality of food and livelihood practices. Moreover, it is increasing their resilience to the vagaries of weather in an area that is prone to drought and soil erosion. One farmer Mamta recalls their helplessness in the face of unpredictable climatic conditions where they would be forced to grow only Maize. “Almost every year, the crops used to fail and the incomes from the yield were so poor that we would barely have enough to feed the family”. Recurring monsoon failure and infertile soil made farming non-profitable. Mamta’s husband was forced to leave Dungarpur in search of livelihood. Mamta decided to stay back and toil in her ancestral land to keep her kitchen going. Majority of women in Dungarpur are farmers. A women farm leader, Laxmi Raut, says, "Farming was male-dominated. Especially, men only went outside Dungarpur to sell the produce. But this has changed now. We women are now successful farmers and agri-entrepreneurs. We are happy to bring a social change in the community”. This success and much more were achieved through the formation of a Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO) with the support of a non-profit organisation, World Vision India, which works for children. Mandviya Agri-base Farmer Producer Company was formed consisting members of the households identified as marginal and having children suffering from malnutrition. Formation of the FPO not only strives to build the economic stability of the community but it also aims at addressing children health issues especially malnutrition. FPO, which is a scheme of the central Government under its National Food Security Act, proved to be the much-needed help for the farmers. The FPO has 1025 members, out of which 681 are women, who remain actively involved in the decision-making process and regularly attend company meetings. Together with Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK), trainings were organised for the members of the FPO besides providing necessary grain seeds and farming infrastructure. A WhatsApp group comprising KVK’s resident scientists and farmers was also created for quick resolution of queries. These interventions have successfully reduced the seasonal migration amongst many men from 8-10 months to 3-4 months a year. Farmers, including female farmers, have now successfully moved away from chemical pesticide and fertiliser based farming to organic-by-trust farming. This has contributed towards making Dungarpur being declared an ‘Organic District' by the State government. Women farmers are now empowered to carry out agricultural activities and travel out of the village to sell their produce in the districts, a task that was often entrusted only to male members. <keyword id="342231" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mamta-Devi">Mamta Devi</keyword>, speaking on the change in the attitude of men towards women said, "We learn new things like packaging and cleaning of the urad dal (black gram) through training programmes. We can only learn this once we step outside our homes and it will help us do better work. If we explain this to our husbands, they understand us now.” S.N. Ojha, the Programme Coordinator of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, said, "Women are sometimes much better farmers than men. Women get chances to economically manage the family and ancestral land only when their husbands migrate to other cities for work. As such women show more interest to learn and adapt to new techniques that can help them do farming better and make the land more productive. Training women farmers on vermicompost making and other techniques will yield a much faster result and growth. They are fast becoming the backbone of agriculture in a challenging place like Dungarpur." This piece is authored by Abraham Daniel who is currently a Technical specialist, Agriculture and Food security at World Vision India.

This Women Farmers’ Producer Organisation is tackling malnutrition and migration in Rajasthan’s Dungarpur district

<ul><li>After a week of legal wrangling and discussions, <keyword id="54572" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PepsiCo">PepsiCo</keyword> decided to withdraw its lawsuit against four Indian smalholder <keyword id="45092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers">farmers</keyword>. The lawsuit had been filed in <keyword id="6354766" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gujarat">Gujarat</keyword> in April. </li><li>The farmers in question had allegedly infringed the corporation’s patent by growing a type of <keyword id="22905" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="potato">potato</keyword> - FC5 which are used in the production of Lay’s chips. </li><li>Pepsi had been seeking damages of ₹10 million each from four farmers, saying it had exclusive rights to the potato in India since 2016. </li><li>Not only did activists petition the government to intervene, but the lawsuit provided a strong opportunity for India’s campaigning politicians to show their support to farmers, who are considered a strong vote bank.</li></ul> After a week of legal wrangling and discussions, PepsiCo decided to <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/pepsi-withdraws-lawsuit-india-potato-farmers-1515501-2019-05-02">withdraw its lawsuit</a> against four Indian smalholder farmers. The lawsuit had been filed in Gujarat in April. Prior to the withdrawal, it had also attempted to settle with the farmers by offering them the chance to sell all the FC5 potatoes they produced to Lay’s or stop producing them altogether. The farmers in question had allegedly infringed the corporation’s patent by growing a type of potato - FC5 which are used in the production of Lay’s chips. According to the filing in a district court in Ahmedabad, Pepsi had been seeking damages of ₹10 million each from four farmers, saying it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/The-177-billion-owner-of-Lays-chips-is-suing-small-time-Indian-farmers-for-growing-a-type-of-potato-it-claims-exclusive-rights-over/articleshow/69057156.cms">had exclusive rights to the potato i</a>n India since 2016 after registering it under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPVFR) Act. The potato variety has a lower moisture requirement. PepsiCo did clarify that while hundreds of farmers had been allowed to cultivate the potato, the four farmers in question had been granted the right. Bad timing It appears that Pepsi chose the wrong time to pick a fight with Indian farmers. India is a popular market for the company’s products and the backlash was severe. Not only were the PR machines lapping up the “David vs Goliath” narrative, but the lawsuit provided a strong opportunity for India’s campaigning politicians to show their support to farmers, who are considered a strong vote bank. Threats of <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/pepsico-gujarat-farmer-dispute-turns-political-after-leaders-take-to-twitters/articleshow/69080125.cms">a boycott of Pepsi products</a> came from Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, the spokesperson of the BJP’s Delhi unit, unless the lawsuit was withdrawn swiftly. The Bhartiya Kisan Sangh and Swadesh Jagran Manch, both affiliates of the RSS, both rallied against PepsiCo, with the former calling on the government to <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/pepsico-row-rss-affiliate-bats-for-farmers-seed-rights/article26995166.ece">establish the farmers’ rights </a>to grow the potato and the latter accusing the company of <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/pepsico-lays-potato-chips-bjp-swadeshi-jagran-manch--sjm--gujarat-ashwani-mahajan/story/341797.html">“coercing farmers”</a> through it settlement offer. Even on the other side, Ahmed Patel, an MP from the Opposition party the Congress called upon the state government of Gujarat, which is led by the BJP, <a href="https://www.thequint.com/news/hot-news/ahmed-patel-urges-gujarat-to-intervene-in-interest-of-farmers">to intervene</a>. In a tweet, Patel said that the lawsuit was a “violation of the farmers' rights”. Even activists weighed in.Around 200 activists petitionedIndia’s Department of Agriculture, calling the lawsuit against the farmers <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/pepsico-india-lays-potato-farmers-gujarat-sued-1510090-2019-04-25">"false and untenable".</a> Legal funds were also raised on behalf of the farmers. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/The-177-billion-owner-of-Lays-chips-is-suing-small-time-Indian-farmers-for-growing-a-type-of-potato-it-claims-exclusive-rights-over/articleshow/69057156.cms">The $177 billion owner of Lay's chips is suing small-time Indian farmers for growing a type of potato it claims exclusive rights over</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/67-82-lakh-farmers-miss-pm-kisan-scheme-benefits/articleshow/68457919.cms">Over 6 million Indian farmers may be left out of the government's key farmers program</a>

Bowing to pressure, PepsiCo withdraws its lawsuit against four Indian potato farmers

New Delhi, Mar 31 () Farmers can delay wheat harvesting till April 20 without incurring any major losses as temperature in the growing states is still below the long-term average, government research body ICAR said on Tuesday, while advising farmers to take precautions amid the rapid spread of coronavirus in India. Normally, wheat harvesting begins from March-end. The government has pegged a record wheat output of 106.21 million tonnes in 2019-20 crop year (July-June) on the back of good rains as against 103.60 million tonnes in the previous year. In its latest advisory to farmers, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) sad, "The temperature in most wheat growing areas is still below long-term average and therefore likely to delay wheat harvesting by at least 10-15 days beyond April 10, therefore, farmers can delay wheat harvesting till April 20 without incurring any significant loss." This would give farmers enough time to manage logistics for procurement and announcement of dates, it said. ICAR said the movement of combine harvesters within the state and between states is permitted, and asked farmers to ensure that the workers engaged in repair, maintenance and harvesting operation adopt safety measures for coronavirus. Currently, manual harvesting of mustard -- the second most important rabi crop -- is underway and threshing is due wherever it is already harvested. ICAR said harvesting of lentils, maize and chillies is in progress, while that of grams is fast approaching. Sugarcane harvesting is also at its peak, while it is also time for manual planting in the north. In its advisory, the agri-research body asked farmers to engage only "familiar persons to the extent possible and after reasonable enquiry as to avoid the entry of any suspect or likely carrier (of the coronavirus) during field activity." "Prefer mechanized operations over the manual wherever feasible. Only the essential numbers of persons should be allowed to accompany the machine," it said. In case of manual field operations of harvesting/ picking, accomplish the operation in 4-5 feet spaced strips assigning one strip to one person. This will ensure adequate spacing between the engaged labours, it added. ICAR further asked farmers to stagger field operations wherever possible, and avoid engaging more number of persons on the same day. "All the persons engaged should use masks and ensure hand washing with soap at reasonable intervals. Maintain safe distance of 3-4 feet during rest, taking of meals, transfer of produce at collection point, loading/unloading," it said. With regard to rabi paddy, ICAR said the crop in southern states has been widely affected due to 'neck blast' disease. Therefore, adequate precautions should be taken while spraying of recommended fungicide by contract sprayers/ farmers. In horticultural crops at fruiting stage such as mango, adequate precautions should be taken in handling inputs and mixing while carrying out field operations related to nutrient spray and crop protection. Besides, delivery and washing of equipment should also be undertaken. ICAR said farm machines and implements should be sanitized at entry point and at regular intervals. All transport vehicles, gunny bags or other packaging material should also be sanitized The collection of the produce may be done in small heaps spaced at 3-4 feet and field level processing should be assigned to 1-2 persons/heap to avoid crowding. Proper sanitation and cleanliness of threshers for harvested maize and groundnut is to be maintained, especially when machines are shared and used by farmer groups. Copious washing of machine parts frequently touched with soap is advised, it added. For post-harvest, storage and marketing of farm produce, ICAR asked farmers to take precautions while performing drying, threshing, winnowing, cleaning, grading, sorting and packaging operations at the farm level. "Ensure proper drying prior to storage of harvested grains, millets, pulses at farm/home and do not use reuse previous seasons jute bags to prevent pest infestation. Use treated and dried gunnies after soaking in 5 per cent neem solution," it said. Farmers should take enough personal safety measures while loading and transporting farm produce and participating in sale at market yards/auction platforms, it said. ICAR said seed producing farmers are allowed to transport their produce to seed companies with supporting documents, and asked them to take precautions while receiving payments. Farmers should take precautions while direct marketing/supplying vegetables such as tomato, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables, cucumbers and other cucurbits from farms. "Seed processing/packaging plants and transportation of seed from producing states to growing states (south to north) is essential to make available seed for ensuing kharif crops. SSG seed for green fodder for sowing in April in north comes from southern states," ICAR added. LUX RVK

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Farmers say they may have to kill and discard baby pigs as slaughterhouses close and the industry faces losing $5 billion

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