ITC Ltd Achieves Nation-First Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA 3.0) Certification for Wheat and Paddy

Key facts

• ITC Ltd became the first company in India to receive the globally‑acknowledged Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0 certification for wheat and paddy.
• The certification helps build credibility with global customers and supports compliance with sustainability commitments in regions such as the EU.
• ITC implemented the FSA 3.0 standards across more than 22,000 acres in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, engaging over 3,500 farmers through more than 70 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
• Around 30 formal policies and guidance documents aligned with FSA standards were developed by ITC, covering agronomy, soil and nutrient management, health, hygiene and safety, use of crop protection inputs, waste handling, water use, environmental management, biodiversity conservation, air quality and emissions, traceability and overall farm management.
• ITCMAARS (Metamarket for Advanced Agriculture and Rural Services) ecosystem has so far benefited more than 2.2 million farmers and over 2,100 FPOs across 11 states.
• The Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) standards are developed by the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) platform, which has over 190 member organisations.
• The latest version, FSA 3.0, was introduced in April 2021.