Rockefeller Foundation has picked Naandi Foundation, a Hyderabad based non-profit as one of the ‘Top 10 Visionaries’ in the world for the Food Vision 2050 Prize, that was declared in New York on August 6. Naandi will get a prize money of $200,000 as part of the award.
The award took note of the application of Arakunomics model in regions of Araku, Wardha and New Delhi, leading to the Food Vision 2050 that follows an “ABCDEFGH” framework focussing on: Agriculture, Biology, Compost, Decentralised decision-making, Entrepreneurs, Families, Global Markets, and ‘Headstands’.
I am humbled that @RockefellerFdn chose @naandi_india as one of the Top 10 Visionaries in the World for the #FoodVision2050 Prize (USD 200,000) announced yesterday in New York. Our Vision titled #Arakunomics was based on work with Farmers in Wardha, New Delhi & @arakucoffeein 1/3 https://t.co/9b2LjwewYt pic.twitter.com/aNGeZjQeQW
— Manoj Kumar (@manoj_naandi) August 7, 2020
The two-level contest took place over almost a year during which Naandi competed with over 1300 entries. Rockefeller Foundation will be releasing USD 150,000 immediately and the remaining USD 50,000 after a 3-month accelerator programme that is designed to help Naandi realise its vision.
In its citation, Rockefeller said “...in your vision we see a beacon of light we think can illuminate the world. Your Vision inspired. If implemented, it can transform. It feels lofty yet feasible - audacious yet vital. It can reveal a path forward to a nourishing, resilient, sustainable and equitable food system for 2050, if not well before. We think the global community can be activated to learn from and take ideas from your vision.”
Naandi's vision named "Arakunomics" was based on work with tribal farmers in Araku for nearly 20 years. Arakunomics is a new economic model that ensures Profits for farmers, Quality for consumers through Regenerative Agriculture (PQR). The economic model was evolved as a tribute to the tribal farmers of Araku region for the excellent coffee produced and launched in Paris in 2017, along with the landscape transformation they brought about in over 955 villages there by planting 25 million trees.
Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group, is the Chair of the board of Naandi Foundation which also consists of Kris Gopalakrishnan (Co-Founder, Infosys Ltd), Rajendra Prasad Maganti (Chairman Soma Enterprise Ltd) and Satish Reddy (Chairman, Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd) as other members.