Dr. U.S. Awasthi, Managing Director of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), has been honoured with the prestigious 2024 Rochdale Pioneers Award by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) in a glittering function at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi today on Tuesday .
This award, established in 2000, is the highest honour conferred by the ICA and recognizes individuals or cooperative organizations that have significantly contributed to innovative and financially sustainable cooperative activities benefiting their members. Dr. Awasthi is the second Indian to receive this accolade, following Dr. Verghese Kurien, the recipient in 2001.
The award was presented to Dr. Awasthi by ICA President Ariel Guarco during a special ceremony at the ICA Global Conference in New Delhi, India, on 25 November 2024. IFFCO is hosting the ICA General Assembly and Global Cooperative Conference 2024 in partnership with the Union Ministry of Cooperation at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The event will conclude on 30 November 2024.
On receiving the award, Dr. Awasthi expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am humbled and honored to receive this prestigious award from the ICA. This award embodies the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ and highlights IFFCO’s exceptional efforts under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah. We remain committed to advancing India’s cooperative movement on the global stage and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the ICA and the global cooperative fraternity for this recognition, which inspires us to uphold and advance the cooperative spirit worldwide.”
Dr. Awasthi further emphasized that IFFCO has championed sustainable agriculture through innovations like Nano Fertilizers, which address critical challenges by improving efficiency and profitability while protecting the environment. He highlighted that these indigenously developed fertilizers, such as Nano Urea and Nano DAP, are now widely used across India and some neighboring countries. IFFCO has been approached by foreign nations for the supply of these fertilizers and is planning to expand its exports globally.
A distinguished chemical engineer, Dr. Awasthi joined IFFCO in 1976 and has since led the cooperative to achieve remarkable milestones. Under his visionary leadership, IFFCO has significantly expanded its production capacity, which grew by 292%, and its net worth, which increased by 688%.
He spearheaded the cooperative’s diversification into various business areas and drove innovations such as the development of indigenously produced Nano Fertilizers, including Nano Urea and Nano DAP. These groundbreaking products have revolutionized farming practices by promoting sustainable and eco-friendly agriculture.
Dr. Awasthi’s efforts have addressed logistical challenges in fertilizer distribution, reduced reliance on imports, and replaced bulky fertilizer packaging with compact Nano Fertilizer bottles.
These innovations have enhanced soil health, boosted farmer profitability, and fostered environmentally responsible farming practices. Farmers across India and neighboring countries have embraced Nano Fertilizers, and IFFCO plans to expand their export to 25 additional nations in the near future.
In the latest operational achievements, IFFCO produced 44 lakh bottles of Nano DAP Liquid and sold over 2.04 crore bottles of Nano Urea Liquid. The cooperative conducted 80,000 field demonstrations and trained more than 80,000 farmers and 1,500 rural entrepreneurs. Total fertilizer production reached 88.95 lakh tons, including 48.85 lakh tons of urea and 40.10 lakh tons of NPK, DAP, WSF, and specialty fertilizers. Domestic and international sales amounted to 112.26 lakh tons, further advancing the use of organic and chemical fertilizers.
