The project, “Establishment of Organic Farm Clusters on Ganga Basin” was undertaken in the district of Bulandshahr with the aim to promote organic farm clusters and sustainable agriculture in the region. This proposed endeavour was meant to not only double farmer incomes by adopting low-cost agricultural technology but also to maintain environmental balance in the region.

The project was initiated within a 1000-hectare land area within the district which comprised of a total of 39 villages (in development blocks Siana, Unchagaon, Anupshahr, Dibai) in 5-7km radius of the Ganga Basin. The major crops cultivated in the area include paddy, sugarcane, wheat, mustard, pulses and vegetables which were to be grown by adopting chemical free organic farming practices. The project also offered a small subsidy to farmers as seed money. They receive a sum of 12,000/hectare in the first year, 10,000/hectare in the second year and 9,000/hectare in the third year. A farmer who has obtained farming certificate continuously for three years will also be eligible to apply for foreign trade. Such a focus on long-term sustainable production plan was to facilitate the stabilisation of agricultural production and can eventually have a positive impact on farmers income.

The success of the project was highlighted in reduction of overall desired input costs for agricultural production for the farmers. Over the course of 2-3 years, approximately 1,549 beneficiaries benefited from this. Shri Bharat Bhushan Tyagi, a local farmer from the district was honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India for his use of advanced and public-friendly techniques in organic farming. By the third year of the scheme, a positive improvement in soil composition of farmers’ field, increase in the number of earthworms and fossil carbon percentage and decline in harmful chemical residues were observed. In addition to this, the farmers could sell their organic products to open markets, mandis and multinational companies like Big Basket etc., through the medium of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in the district. Furthermore, this idea substantially contributes to the larger “Clean Ganga” project by the Government of India.