India: Amora gherkins support sustainable livelihoods

Small cucumber; big potential

"The farmer supplies the land, water and labour. We supply the seeds, fertilisers and pesticides so they can start growing gherkins for use in our products. We only charge them once they have received the money for their harvest," explains Ramesh Anadramiah, project manager for a programme that has brought significant environmental and economic benefits to farmers struggling to make a living in central and southern India.

Unilever offers the farmers a guaranteed price, fixed at the start of the season. This means they receive a secure income, while Unilever secures a supply of high-quality produce. In a good season, farmers can earn up to 40 000 rupees (approximately €560) profit per acre. "We pay the highest price," continues Ramesh. "But that is because we want the highest quality."

But it's not just livelihoods that are being improved, the environment is benefiting too. Encouraging better farming practices has cut fungicide use by 90% since the programme began and overall pesticide use has fallen 40%. Fewer inputs mean lower costs; yields, meanwhile, are up 60% since 1998. The use of drip irrigation rather than the traditional method of flooding the fields has also curbed water use.

Educating farmers

Unilever began working with its suppliers in India to improve gherkin farming practices following a decline in yields and quality in the late 1990s.
In partnership with farmers, universities, agricultural organisations and colleagues from Unilever's Sustainable Agriculture Programme, Unilever and its seven suppliers developed an integrated pest management programme to cut pesticide use and promote sustainable agriculture techniques for gherkins.

Farmers are encouraged to plant more resistant varieties of gherkins and use pesticides judiciously by only spraying when there is a high risk of infestation. Improved irrigation and delaying the growing season to avoid the monsoon has also helped to reduce fungal infections.

Unilever and its suppliers have produced a straightforward guide on how to identify and control common pests without the use of pesticides. The guide includes photos and advice in local languages. Field demonstrations show farmers how to handle and store pesticides safely, including how to use protective clothing. Bollywood-style films help convey the messages to illiterate farmers.

Only pesticides approved by Unilever are permitted in the produce we purchase, and our suppliers employ trained field staff to monitor how they are used by farmers.

Gherkin farming in India

Around 6 500 smallholders in the southern Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have been growing gherkins for Unilever since the early 1990s. They produce around 8 000 tonnes of premium gherkins a year that are sold to our suppliers for use in Unilever brands such as Amora. The smallholders typically farm between a quarter and one acre of land. They also grow other vegetables including tomatoes, aubergines, beans and pulses for the local market and personal use.