The Enabling Child and Human Rights with Seed Organizations (ECHO) was inaugurated formally by hosting a multi-stakeholder consultation on decent workplace standards in the seed supply chain.

The consultation has sessions on topics such as ‘Decent work in the agriculture supply chain – risk, challenges, and opportunities,’ ‘Child labor and minimum wages issues in the hybrid seed supply chain: findings from recent research and field level implementation projects,’ Field level experiences by experts and ‘Insights – ILO Project on Fundamental Rights at Work Place in Cotton Supply Chain.’

Dr. Davuluri Venkateshwaluru, Director, Glocal Research, said, “For decades, deep-rooted social-economic problems like child labor and minimum wages, have been prevalent in the hybrid seed production industry across the country. These issues require concerted efforts from different stakeholders, and the key objective of ECHO is to create a flat form for all the stakeholders to meet, discuss and evolve strategies to tackle the social compliance issues in the seed supply chain. ECHO will also enable farmers by facilitating sustainable solutions on child rights and other decent work issues.”

Experts such as Professor KC Suri, University of Hyderabad, Ranjith Prakash, National Project Coordinator, FPRW in Cotton Supply Chain, ILO Decent Work Team for South Asia and Country Office for India, Devyani Hari, Centre for Responsible Business (CRB), J Srinivas Rao, Chairperson, Telangana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Nagesh Vuda, Supply Chain Head, Asia Pacific, UPL-Advanta, Subhadra Gupta, Regional Manager, South and East Asia, FLA and Dr. Vijay Kumar, MV Foundation participated in the sessions.

Representing the industry were Jeff Boscher, Managing Director, HM. Clause India, Dilip Rajan, Managing Director, East-West Seed India, Venkatram Vasantawada, Managing Director and CEO, SeedWorks International Pvt Ltd, Dr. G Chaluvaraju, Global Head, Production, BASF Vegetable Seeds.

ECHO Executive Committee members, Suhas Joshi, Bayer, President, Pramod Kulkarni, Syngenta, Vice President, UVL Ananda, East-West Seed India, Vice President, Dr. Davuluri Venkateswarlu, Glocal Research, General Secretary, Satish Hegde, UPL Advanta, Joint Secretary, Rama Rao, HM. Clause, Joint Secretary, Saikat De, BASF Vegetable Seeds, Treasurer organized the proceedings.