National, September 11, 2024

New Delhi, September 11, 2024:  Yara India, a subsidiary of Yara International and the world's leading crop nutrition company, is proud to announce the launch of the second cohort of the Yara Leadership Academy (YLA) in India. Building on the tremendous success of its first cohort, YLA Cohort 2 aims to improve the leadership and business management abilities of Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the agriculture industry with Connected Technologies and Unifiers as key course partners.

YLA was introduced in 2022 and its first cohort was tested in Kenya and India. As a result, a strong network of about 1,000 agro dealers was established throughout the two countries. 500 MSMEs and their affiliates completed the program successfully in India alone, with an emphasis on encouraging female leaders and youth involvement.

Driven by the encouraging responses from stakeholders, Yara has raised its investment in agribusiness capacity building by a substantial margin. The second cohort of the Yara Leadership Academy now includes participants from Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, alongside continued efforts in Western Uttar Pradesh. This year, the program aims to graduate 700 applicants from over 70 districts across these regions.

The 15-week comprehensive Yara Leadership Academy curriculum covers a broad range of subjects, such as business management, agronomic knowledge, and regenerative agricultural practices. The program contains courses on business establishment, budgeting, growth mindset, product quality, customer service, and other crucial areas of business operations.

The program offers participants both digital access via tablets and in-person networking sessions. Through practical tasks and exercises, these modules foster cross-learning and enable participants to immediately apply their newly acquired knowledge to their respective enterprises. A team of 15 coaches supports the 700 candidates on the ground, ensuring they not only complete the program but also effectively apply their new knowledge to their businesses.

Notably, this year has seen a significant increase in female participation, with the ratio of female participants rising from 22% to an impressive 28.3%. Yara is also extending its vision beyond retailers to include Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Independent Agricultural Entrepreneurs in Bihar, a special group of women from Babrala Self-Help Groups, young girl learners, and participants from Bayer BLF Centres.

Speaking on the initiative, Sanjiv Kanwar, MD, Yara South Asia said, “At Yara, we envision a future where Indian agriculture is not only productive but also sustainable, resilient, and equitable. Achieving this vision requires more than just providing premium inputs, it demands empowering and upskilling all individuals who form the very backbone of the industry, and that includes actively encouraging and supporting the vital contributions of women in agriculture. The Yara Leadership Academy is our commitment to nurturing the next generation of agricultural leaders, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and networks to build thriving businesses and drive positive change across the entire agricultural landscape.”

This year’s course will be certified by respected government bodies, including the Management and Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC) and the National Council for Vocational Education (NCVET). Participants will also gain market intelligence through expert guidance in specialized sessions that address key concerns faced by MSMEs in the agricultural sector.

About Yara India 

Yara is the world’s leading fertiliser company and provider of environmental solutions. Yara India is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yara International ASA. The company set up its operations in 2011, in Maharashtra, focussing on specialty products. In 2018, Yara India acquired Tata Chemicals 1.20 million MT urea facility in Babrala, making it India’s first and highest stand-alone foreign direct investment in the fertiliser sector. The company has established a strong footprint, forging deep relationships with Indian farming community through its farmer centric approach enhancing productivity with new generation crop nutrition offerings.

Yara works closely with farmers to promote the use of balanced crop nutrition solutions through Yara branded retail outlets called Yara Crop Nutrition Centre (YCNC) and the FPO initiative resulting in enhanced yield and quality of output. The YCNCs have benefited over 1.2 million farmers across 1500 outlets in 17 states and 1 Union territory of India.  Yara India digitally connects with 5.5 million farmers across India and provide service to 218 FPOs touching over 150 thousand farmers. In 2019, Yara India Technology Centre (Yara ITC) was established to address Yara's technology demands and drive agile transformation. Being one of three Global Digital Hubs, Yara ITC plays a pivotal role in developing digital solutions.