UDAIPUR (India CSR): Hindustan Zinc Limited , world’s largest integrated zinc producer, is leading a transformative effort to revolutionize farming practices in Rajasthan through its Samadhan project under the company’s CSR initiatives. The initiative has touched the lives of nearly 1.4 lakh farmers since its inception, catalyzing over Rs 192 crore in diversified farm income in the past year alone.
When Shankar Lal Dangi from Chota Guda village near Udaipur in Rajasthan began farming, his family survived on a modest monthly income of Rs 6,000–7,000, constrained by traditional practices, limited irrigation and unorganized market access. With support from Hindustan Zinc Limited’s flagship Agri-livelihood initiative, Samadhan, he adopted scientific crop practices, drip irrigation and became part of a Farmer Producer Organization that ensured assured market access and fair pricing. Today, his crop productivity has improved significantly, milk production has more than doubled, and his annual income has grown as well, bringing financial stability, confidence and dignity to his household. Shankar Lal’s journey reflects the broader transformation Samadhan is enabling across rural Rajasthan, helping farmers move from subsistence agriculture to sustainable Agri-entrepreneurship.
Samadhan program, focused on farm-based interventions is designed to help local farmers enhance productivity, reduce labour intensity, and adopt sustainable agricultural methods. Through a multi-pronged approach encompassing crop diversification, dairy development, livestock asset creation, microenterprise promotion and farmer-owned institutions, this program has delivered measurable outcomes over the past year. These include over ₹90 crore in livestock asset creation, over 280 lakh litres of milk production valued at more than Rs 88 crore, over Rs 13 crore generated through five Individual Farmer Producer Organisations, and nearly Rs 7 crore in revenues from farmer-led microenterprises such as Gauam, including dairy-based FMCG products and mineral mixture production facilities.
A similar transformation story from Sindesar Kalan village in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan, where Dinesh Puri Goswami transitioned from low-return traditional farming to diversified vegetable cultivation and improved dairy practices under Samadhan’s guidance. By adopting scientific pest management, raised-bed nurseries and animal breed improvement, Dinesh generated Rs 78,000 from vegetable farming in just four months, while his monthly milk income increased to Rs 12,000. The diversification of income sources has significantly reduced risk and improved income stability for his family.
A cornerstone of Samadhan’s success lies in the creation of strong grassroots institutions and farmer ownership. The initiative has mobilized 510 Farmer Interest Groups and five Individual Farmer Producer Organizations comprising over 9,300 farmer-shareholders, enabling aggregation, assured market access and long-term sustainability. Samadhan has covered 2,449 hectares of land through the adaptation of climate-smart agriculture activity like POP, small plot, hi-tech vegetable cultivation, precision irrigation, trellis farming, scientific dairy management, medicinal crops, WADI and bio-fortified crops such as zinc and iron-enriched wheat, leading to improved productivity, better nutrition outcomes and enhanced incomes. Women farmers are also emerging as changemakers within this journey. From dairy entrepreneurship to horticulture and leadership roles within FIGs, their participation is strengthening household prosperity and community resilience. Gendi Bai from Ganeshpura village, for instance, earned Rs 90,000 from one bigha of vegetable cultivation using drip irrigation and mulching, earning recognition as a progressive farmer at the block level.
Beyond Samadhan, Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta Group company’s social impact strategy is anchored in building resilient communities through a long-term, integrated approach to development. The company works across education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, skilling, sustainable livelihoods, sports and environmental stewardship, while also strengthening local infrastructure and institutions in its operational regions. Through a combination of community-led interventions such as Nand Ghar, Sakhi, Zinc Kaushal, Samadhan, partnerships and scalable models, Hindustan Zinc today touches the lives of nearly 23 lakh people across more than 2,300 villages. As one of India’s leading CSR contributors, the company continues to advance inclusive growth, social equity and grassroots capacity-building in alignment with national development priorities and the vision of Viksit Bharat.
(India CSR)
Also Read in Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान जिंक समाधान परियोजना से 1.4 लाख किसानों ने 192 करोड़ से अधिक आय अर्जित की
