GIZ, PepsiCo and Bayer target regenerative maize farming through HARVEST

GIZ, PepsiCo India and Bayer’s Crop Science Division announced HARVEST, a public-private programme for regenerative maize agriculture, BusinessLine reported on November 5, 2026. The three-year initiative aims to reach 35,000 farmers in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh through training and capability building. It operates under develoPPP on behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

With research support from the Indian Institute of Maize Research, the programme plans to address soil health, water and input efficiency, crop diversification and climate-related farming risks. Farmers would have opportunities to assess practices under local conditions. The partners describe reducing the risks of adopting regenerative agriculture as a programme objective, rather than a demonstrated outcome.

HARVEST extends PepsiCo and Bayer’s collaboration beyond a potato value-chain partnership spanning more than two decades. Its focus includes maize and rotational crops, linking farmer training with research and value-chain engagement. The report outlines intended benefits for farming communities but provides no measured results on yields, incomes or environmental improvements.