GIZ, PepsiCo India and Bayer Launch HARVEST Initiative to Strengthen Climate-Resilient Maize Farming in India

Three-year public-private partnership will promote regenerative agriculture and reach 35,000 farmers across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh

04 November 2026, New Delhi: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), PepsiCo India Holdings and Bayer’s Crop Science Division have joined hands to launch HARVEST (Holistic Agricultural Climate Resilience and Versatile Ecosystem Strengthening Techniques), a three-year public-private partnership aimed at promoting regenerative agriculture and strengthening climate resilience in maize-based farming systems in India.

Implemented under the develoPPP programme on behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the initiative will focus on farming communities in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, with an ambition to reach 35,000 farmers through training, knowledge sharing and capacity-building activities.

The programme will combine scientific research, field-level interventions and value-chain engagement to encourage sustainable agricultural practices and improve farmers’ ability to manage climate-related production risks.

The partnership expands the longstanding collaboration between PepsiCo and Bayer in India’s potato value chain to maize, with GIZ joining as a development partner and the Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) providing research support.

Maize plays an important role in India’s agricultural economy, serving as a source of food, animal feed and industrial raw material while supporting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. However, erratic rainfall, drought, rising temperatures and increasing pressure on natural resources are creating challenges for maize production. The initiative seeks to address these concerns by encouraging farming practices that improve soil health, optimise water and input use, promote crop diversification and strengthen farm-level resilience.

HARVEST will promote locally adapted regenerative agriculture practices across maize-based farming systems, including rotational crops. A key focus will be to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of these practices while reducing the risks associated with farmers transitioning to new production methods.

The initiative builds on the experience of an earlier PepsiCo-GIZ collaboration in Thailand, implemented between 2021 and 2025 across potato and rice value chains. The programme focused on improving farmer incomes, promoting regenerative agriculture and reducing emissions. HARVEST aims to adapt and extend learnings from this collaboration to Indian maize-growing regions.

Research, Demonstration and Farmer Capacity Building

The programme will combine scientific research with practical farmer engagement to develop locally relevant recommendations. Independent research institutions, including IIMR, alongside relevant government institutions, will contribute technical expertise, soil and water assessments and research-based guidance.

Demonstration farms and farmer-to-farmer learning initiatives will enable growers to assess regenerative practices under local conditions and exchange practical experiences. The programme will also strengthen the capabilities of public extension services, agronomists and farm leads to support the wider adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.

In addition, HARVEST will explore opportunities to strengthen market linkages and align sustainable production practices with value-chain requirements. The approach is intended to connect improvements in farm-level sustainability with long-term economic opportunities for farmers and businesses.

Ulrike Ebeling, Country Director, GIZ India and Bhutan, said the partnership would bring together GIZ’s experience and local networks with the innovation and expertise of PepsiCo and Bayer. She highlighted the potential of combining development objectives with business interests to improve farmers’ livelihood opportunities and build more sustainable agricultural value chains.

Ashok Rai, Senior Director and India Market Supply Officer, PepsiCo India, said the company was extending its experience in sustainable potato farming partnerships to maize through HARVEST. Guided by its pep+ and Positive Agriculture agendas, PepsiCo aims to support farmers in adopting regenerative and climate-resilient practices that improve soil health, enhance resource-use efficiency and strengthen farm livelihoods.

Simon Wiebusch, Country Divisional Head, Crop Science Division of Bayer for India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, emphasised the importance of aligning sustainability with farmer economics to scale regenerative agriculture. He said the partnership would combine scientific expertise, innovation, farmer capabilities and value-chain partnerships to create value for farmers and contribute to more resilient agricultural systems.

Through collaboration among farmers, research institutions, public agencies and private-sector partners, HARVEST aims to test and refine regenerative farming practices under real-world conditions. The partnership intends to contribute to improved soil health, more efficient use of natural resources and stronger farmer resilience, while developing an approach that could eventually be extended beyond Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

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