PepsiCo India, in collaboration with the Delta Prize, launched the rapid re.gen challenge, a nationwide initiative designed to help smallholder farmers adopt regenerative agriculture through practical, scalable solutions that improve soil health, strengthen resilience, and enhance livelihoods. Backed by a prize fund of Rs 6.5 crore, the challenge will support organisations working to make sustainable farming more viable and accessible for farmers across India.
Agriculture in India is increasingly facing challenges linked to declining soil health, rising input costs, and climate uncertainty. While regenerative agriculture offers a proven pathway to improve soil fertility, strengthen farm resilience, and support long-term productivity, many farmers continue to face barriers to adoption, including limited access to resources, technical support, and low-risk implementation models. The rapid re.gen challenge aims to address these gaps by identifying and supporting approaches that can deliver both environmental and economic benefits for farmers.
The challenge invites applications from non-profits, civil society organisations, and other partners working with farming communities. Selected organisations will work with smallholder farmers practising conventional agriculture to test, strengthen, and scale innovative, farmer-centric regenerative agriculture models that improve soil health while helping farmers sustain or increase their incomes. Through these efforts, the challenge aims to reach between 5,000 and 10,000 smallholder farmers across India. Areas of focus include farmer advisory services, natural resource management, agroforestry, efficient input use, market access, and other solutions that contribute to sustainable agricultural growth.
The initiative is a part of PepsiCo India's broader efforts to advance regenerative agriculture and support farming communities across the country. Through programmes focused on soil health, scientific farming practices, farmer capability building, and sustainable agriculture, PepsiCo India works with farmers to strengthen agricultural productivity and long-term resilience. Through the rapid re.gen challenge, the company aims to identify practical solutions that can help accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture across diverse farming regions in India.
