YC Deveshwar led ITC Limited, a multi-business conglomerate, has greened over 683,000 acres of land together under its farm and social forestry programmes in last 18 years, generating 124 million man-days of employment, reveals 15th Sustainability Report 2018.
The footprint of ITC’s social development projects is spread over 25 States/Union. Territories covering 188 districts. Company has spent Rs 291 Crore in various corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs in India for the period of April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018.
Farm and Social Forestry Programmes were launched during the year 2001-02, have covered over 201,000 acres of land under pulpwood plantations, over 93,400 acres of land under energy plantation and 494 acres of bamboo plantations, report says.
“Advancements in green technology, innovative ideas from the world’s millennials, ease of communication and connectivity will no doubt contribute to new thinking and to finding better solutions to ensure a secure and safer world in times to come.”, YC Deveshwar, Chairman, ITC Limited says in the report.
“I remain optimistic that businesses will make an increasing contribution in the future, not only in enlightened self-interest, but because the new normal will be about doing well by doing good.”, he adds.
“The programme focuses on creating commercially viable land use options for smallholder farmers through tree-based farming to diversify incomes from land while fostering food, fodder and fuelwood security.”, report adds.
During the year 2018, 10,926.2 mn MT of wood was harvested, of which 22% (24,236 MT) was FSC certified wood, which benefits farmers through premium payment. Total wealth generation was to the tune of Rs. 316.7 mn (31.67 Crore) for poor and marginal farmers.
“Agro Forestry continued to be given emphasis, accounting for more than 95% of area under eucalyptus. Given the sizeable area under agro-forestry, and to drive improvement in farm economics from intercrops, ITC continued its partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature, India (WWF India) to implement ‘Better Cotton Initiative’ in three districts of Telangana – Khammam, Warangal and Nalgonda”, report says.
SOCIAL FORESTRY
| Activity | 2016-17 | 2017-18
| Cum to 2017-18 |
| Coverage | |||
| No. of Villages | 276 | 182 | 4,991 |
| No. of new beneficiaries | 10,823 | 12,708 | 109,232 |
| Total Forestry (Acres) | 38,916 | 39,504 | 295,065 |
| Agro Forestry Area (Acres) | 21,553 | 19,683 | 101,939 |
| Saplings Planted (Million) | 76 | 76 | 628 |
WOOD HARVEST
| Description | 2016-17 | 2017-18 |
| Area (Acres) | 8,126 | 6,161 |
| Farmers (Nos.) | 3,167 | 2,342 |
| Volume Harvested (MT) | 148,236 | 109,262 |
| Total Income (INR Million) | 570.5 | 316.7 |
| Earnings / Household (INR) | 180,145 | 135,228 |
| Earnings / Acre (INR) | 70,208 | 51,400 |
“ITC’s vision of sustainable and inclusive growth has led to the adoption of a triple bottom line approach that simultaneously builds economic, social and environmental capital.”, report further adds.
Impact:
- ITC e-Choupal initiative has benefitted over 4 million (40 Lakh) farmers.
- Integrated Watershed Development brought soil and moisture conservation to nearly 875,000 acres
- Animal Husbandry programme has covered nearly 1.7 million milch animals
- Women Empowerment programmes have provided livelihood opportunities to over 60,000 rural women
- Vocational training programmes covered over 55,000 youth
- Supplementary education reached nearly 560,000 children
