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Bharti-Walmart, the joint wholesale retail venture between Bharti Enterprises and the world's largest retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc of the US, unveiled its sustainable agricultural programme at Haider Nagar village, near Malerkotla in Punjab.
The implementation of this community development programme is aimed at Bharti-Walmart's commitment to provide quality fresh produce to retail stores through efficient supply chain management, a company release said.
The sustainable agricultural programme provides closed loop sanitation and energy-efficient modern solutions through community toilets and bio-gas plants in this village, the release said.
The initiative forms part of the company's objective of setting up an efficient and robust supply chain that maximizes value for farmers and retailers, it added said. Unveiling the initiatives, Bharti-Wal-Mart managing director and chief executive Raj Jain said, "at Bharti Walmart, we firmly believe that the second green revolution will happen outside the farm through reduction of wastages in the supply chain between the farm and the end consumer."
Under the initiative, the company has constructed 80 modern toilets in the village, besides installing bio-gas plants.
Additionally, 10 community dustbins have been installed in the village to manage solid household waste. To facilitate these initiatives, six self-help groups have been formed which serve as an effective platform between local community and the company.
Bharti-Walmart has also started health and education intervention programme. A children's group has been created to motivate non-school going children to take up primary education. It has also opened a dispensary.
These initiatives have resulted in enhancement of quality of farm produce, increase in yield and higher price-realisation for over 110 small and marginal farmers in Haider Nagar village.