Udaipur : The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), AWL, and Solidaridad are jointly implementing the Regenerative Mustard Model Farm programme to promote sustainable and climate-resilient mustard production in India. Aligned with India’s National Mission on Edible Oils, the initiative established 3,000 Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) across 3,000 acres in 14 districts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana during the Rabi season 2025-26, directly engaging thousands of mustard farmers in science-based and ecologically sustainable production practices.
Background and strategic imperative
India currently imports more than 60% of its edible oil requirements, placing a significant burden on the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Mustard is one of the most strategically important domestic oilseed crops. In 2021-22, the Government of India launched the National Mission on Edible Oils to reverse this dependence by boosting the productivity and production of oilseeds at the farm level.
Responding to this national call, SEA in association with Solidaridad and AWL designed the Regenerative Mustard Model Farm programme as a holistic, demonstration-led initiative that blends the best of modern agronomy with regenerative principles to increase productivity, reduce input costs and strengthen the long-term resilience of the mustard-growing ecosystem.
Scale and reach of the programme
The programme covered 3000 acres through selected lead farmers across three major mustard-growing states. In Madhya Pradesh, 1580 FLDs were conducted across the districts of Mandsaur, Neemach, Ratlam, Shajapur, Agar Malwa, Vidisha and Raisen. Rajasthan accounted for 1320 FLDs spanning Baran, Bundi, Kota, Jhalawar and Tonk districts, while Haryana contributed 100 FLDs in Rewari and Mahendragarh districts. To strengthen knowledge dissemination and farmer engagement, 27 Farmer Field Schools (FFS) were established in close proximity to the demonstration plots, serving as community hubs for continuous learning, practical input demonstrations and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange.
“SEA has consistently expanded its Mustard Model Farms initiative year after year, delivering clear and measurable gains in productivity. What began in 2019-20 with just 100 farms has grown significantlythis Rabi season alone, 3000 model farms were established across three key mustard-growing states, achieving an impressive 26% increase in yield.Rising production levels clearly indicate that the adopted practices are both relevant and correctly implemented on the ground.What makes this year particularly significant is the strong integration of regenerative agriculture practices. This marks an important shift from a focus solely on increasing output to building a resilient, regenerative, and future-ready mustard production system in India”.– Sanjeev Asthana, President, The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA)
“Regenerative agriculture is the future of farming in India. In an increasingly uncertain world, self-reliance in edible oil is not an aspiration it is a necessity. Mustard is India’s most ancient oilseed crop and holds immense untapped potential. It is now our collective responsibility to restore India’s abundance in mustard but not at the cost of the land that sustains us. Regenerative agriculture is the answer to that balance. AWL is committed to building a responsible and traceable oilseed supply chain, and our partnership with Solidaridad and SEA reflects our conviction that farmer prosperity and quality produce must always go hand in hand. A special acknowledgement is due to the Solidaridad team, whose tireless presence on the ground and hands-on guidance to farmers has turned this vision into a living reality.” –Angshu Malik, Executive Deputy Chairman, AWL.
“Solidaridadiscommitment to regenerative agriculture and to India’s self-reliance in vegetable oils is unwavering, and the results of this programme affirm that we are on the right path. Regenerative agriculture is not merely a technical shift it is a fundamental shift in mindset. Watching farmers embrace practices like topping, bio-inputs and integrated pest surveillance with genuine conviction, and then spontaneously replicate them in their own fields beyond the programme boundary, is the most powerful evidence of lasting, transformative change.The Regenerative Mustard Model Farms initiative demonstrates that productivity, profitability, and sustainability can advance together. As India moves towards edible oil self-reliance, such scalable, science-backed and farmer-centric models will play a critical role in shaping a resilient and future-ready agricultural system.-Dr. Suresh Motwani, Veg Oil Head, Solidaridad.
“The Mustard Model Farm programme is a shining example of what becomes possible when industry, civil society, and farming communities come together with a shared purpose. The consistent yield gains and the widespread adoption of regenerative practices by farmers beyond the programme boundary are a testament to the strength of this collaborative model. We are proud to support an initiative that not only enhances farmer livelihoods but also advances India’s food and edible oil security in a meaningful and lasting way.” – Mr. Vijay Data, Chairman of SEA Rape-Mustard Promotion Council.
“This programme clearly demonstrates that productivity and sustainability are not trade-offs rather, they strengthen and complement each other when approached in an integrated manner. By combining the scientific principles of regenerative agriculturewith the lived experiences, traditional knowledge, and adaptive practices of farmers, we are creating a model that is both practical and scalable.
This synergy is enabling higher yields, improved farm incomes, and long-term ecological resilience at the same time. Importantly, it offers a credible and replicable pathway for transforming India’s edible oil sectorone that reduces dependency on imports while ensuring environmental sustainability. In doing so, the programme is contributing to the larger vision of building a self-reliant, resilient, and future-ready agricultural system for the country.”- Dr. B.V. Mehta, Executive Director, SEA.
