Moraka Organics

Way back in 1994, Morarka Foundation entered into a contract with the State Directorate of Agriculture, Government of Rajasthan, to take up an experiment for the privatization of agriculture extension services, supported by World Bank.

The participatory planning process, involving over 10000 farm families, identified reduction in the cost of cultivation as the core issue for interventions in the Nawalgarh block of Jhunjhunu district, a semi-arid region in India.

In its efforts to find solutions, it innovated on-farm fertility management practices based on vermiculture technology. Development and dissemination of this know-how to over 1,00,000 farmers in 3 years caused it to become the single largest producer of vermi-cast in the world. This technology was awarded for excellence in technology innovation by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India in the year 2001 and 2002.

Introduction of on-farm fertility management practices led to compliance with organic standards and thus the Foundation started organizing farmers to take up one of the largest organic agriculture development programmes in India.

Over the years, The Morarka Foundation has also evolved a pro-biotic approach to pest management.

Since organic cultivation was intrinsically linked to certification, the Foundation innovated IT based group certification norms, in compliance with world organic standards.

While on one hand, the Morarka Foundation promoted small entrepreneurial initiatives in organic agri-businesses, it also facilitated linkages between organic producers and traders. In the year 2006-07 it set up its marketing arm, Morarka Organic Foods Pvt. Ltd., to facilitate direct linkage between the consumer and producers.