Agriculture, the mainstay of the Indian Economy, is an important driver of macro economic performance and is also a critical element for the growth strategy. As per the Economic Survey, during 2008-09 , Agricultural sector witnessed 1.6 percent growth as against  4.9 percent   in 2007-08. It has also witnessed decline of its share in the GDP from 24 percent in 2001-02 to 17.1 percent in 2008-09, however, even today; approximately 52 percent of the total Indian population depends on agriculture for its livelihood. Indian agriculture is set to receive a 'New Deal' with the Government committed to formulate a comprehensive package for reforms and policy changes vital for increasing farm incomes, productivity and making the sector globally competitive.  The alarming deceleration in the rate of growth of agriculture, the yawning gap between the performance and potential of agriculture sector, the set back to the diversification process towards cash crops, fall in input growth and declining factor productivity calls for special attention.
The Eleventh Five Year Plan puts greater emphasis on reversal of the deceleration in agricultural growth and identified the areas whereby 4 percent growth can be achieved. Thrust on increasing area under irrigation, favorable terms of trade to farmers, better  & cheaper access to credit, more investment in agriculture, use of latest technology, use of new and tailor made specialty fertilizers for application based on soil report would certainly help in achieving growth in agricultural production. The time is 'Over Riped'.  Whereby we have to give a new deal to the rural India and farmer.
Especially in case of Fertilizers, product differentiation does not exist. One needs to understand the demand and needs of the customer and respond accordingly by offering customized products, total solutions and after sales services.  This is the only way to woo the customers that can make the end consumers take purchase decisions in your favor. This means that the entire set of requirement for a total agri-value chain, which commences with providing pre-cultivation services to the farmers like soil testing and selection of crops till the crop is harvested and the produce sold so that the farmer gets better price for the output. Indian fertilizer companies have understood these realities and are now moving in that direction. However, GSFC has been working in these areas to enhance the prosperity of farmers ever since the inception of the company with the philosophy of selling 'Productivity' and not just the 'Products'. GSFC's corporate philosophy transcends mere marketing approach and strategy and seeks to serve the national interest by educating the end users of fertilizers.

Setting Milestones
GSFC has come a long way since its inception on February 15th 1962 and has evolved itself as a multiproduct, multi product and multi locational company. Fully integrated fertilizers and petrochemical complex offers wide range of fertilizers, agro based products and various types of services to the farmers. Apart from these, GSFC offers a wide range of products, which include industrial products, gases and chemicals to the consumer industry and the end user.

Contributing to Nation's Productivity
Contribution of GSFC at the national level and in particular to Indian agriculture is immense. So far company has provided more than 40 million tonnes of much needed fertilizer for the country's agricultural needs. GSFC has scaled new peaks of productivity, achieved new heights in capacity utilization and helped Indian agricultural production increase manifolds.  
To promote the use of fertilizers, GSFC has an extensive marketing network. The field force conducts various types of promotional programs at the grass root level to promote the use of fertilizers. Scientific agricultural practices are encouraged to boost agricultural production in general and food production in particular. GSFc is one of the major fertilizer suppliers in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra pradesh and Karnataka. GSFC brand 'Sardar' fertilizers enjoy excellent brand preference in these states.

Marketing Network
GSFC has set up Agricultural Development and Agro Services, a separate cell to bring technology from lab to the field, promote use of fertilizers and provide latest agricultural know how to the farmers. This cell formulates action-oriented schemes and programs to achieve short-term goals and long-term objectives, which are imperative for the nation. Activities of this board are directed towards generation and promotion of scientific agro technologies, orientation of farmers, training of farm youth, raising their standard of living and enriching the lives for meaningful future. Ultimate objective of these agro promotional programs is to create confidence in the farming community to absorb the impact of transfer of modern and high tech agriculture technology. These programs involve participation of the farming community at a very large scale.
 'Nourish the Land and Flourish the Future' is the motto of GSFC and the organization is dedicated and committed to augment the overall prosperity of farmers by making them self-reliant.

USP of GSFC
Agricultural services

• Guidance on Agri Business through a wide network of Krishi Mahiti Kendra/depots
•  Soil and water sample testing for farmers
•  Mobile soil testing and Audio Visual Van
• Ancillary Activities
•  Sale of  Bio and chemical pesticides through company operated retail points
•  Micro mix and water soluble fertilizers
•  Bio fertilisers supplementing nutritional needs of soils and Bio tech products
•  Distribution of HYV seeds
•  Publication of farm Magazine - Krishi Jivan
•  Training farm youths - a continuous process
•  Banana Tissue culture
•  Micro Irrigation system

Rural Development: Key to Prosperity
When GSFC was conceieved, the agricultural techniques were not well developed and the term scientific agriculture was still alien to the farming sector. GSFC's progress with Rural Prosperity' is the slogan company has adopted from the very beginning and has backed its marketing policy with strong rural and agricultural programs. These programs have been solely conceptualized on modern farming techniques to disseminate technical know-how through various schemes and programs to enhance rural prosperity.

Information Centers
GSFC has also started 'Farm Information Centers cum depots' to popularize the use of fertilizers among the farming community and to educate the rural folk on scientific agriculture by adopting package of modern practices. There are 230 such centers, practically one in each taluka in the state of Gujarat. Agriculture graduates man 132 such depots.
These people work as 'Friend and Philosopher' of the farming community and carry out promotional and extension activities. Apart from fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, bio-fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers, micro nutrient fortified fertilizers, banana tissue culture plants are also sold at these depots.  These centers have acted as catalyst to build the brand image of GSFC's 'Sardar' fertilizers.
During sixties and seventies, GSFC adopted various plans and projects to convince the farmers to change their outlook and accept farming as a business. GSFC conducted the project 'Leap Forward' for overall development of Adivasi farmers in tribal areas. The company took initiatives and carried out other projects like 'Crop Insurance', 'Intensive Fertilizer Campaign' and 'Dry Farming' to increase farm productivity.  Currently GSFC is pursuing various campaigns, which are:

Soil and Water Testing Facilities
Through a static laboratory in Gujarat in 1969, GSFC started soil and irrigation water analysis of the fields. Healthy soil is the primary requirement to achieve high productivity from the land. Later in 1989, the company introduced mobile soil testing cum audiovisual vans. So far these laboratories have analyzed 7.85 lakh soil and 0.87 lakh water samples. Based on the scientific analysis of soil and water the soil status report is provided to the farmer with application of necessary fertilizers, micronutrients and other recommendations to increase usage of fertilizers and use water efficiently. This move has been immensely helpful to promote the concept of balanced fertilization among the farmers. GSFC has also published a booklet on 'Soil Fertility Status in Gujarat- GSFC Approach'.
The company has taken a step forward and extended help to the Government of Gujarat to analyze soil samples so that Soil Health Card can be issued by the State Government to the individual farmers. On the basis of results of soil analysis and the experience and expertise the experts from GSFC's Agriculture Development and Agri Services Department has prepared the soil maps for all the major micro and macro nutrients, which are available at all the 133 company run depots where more than 1 lakh farmers visit the depots. This comes very handy for the farmers as the farmers can apply fertilizers and agri inputs as per the requirement. To educate the farmers on solid testing, bio fertilizers and banana tissue culture, a video has also been prepared.

Farm Youth Training
GSFC has been conducting Farm Youth Training Program four times in an year in collaboration with Gujarat Agricultural University. This program was started to train young farmers about the latest agro techniques and to expedite their hidden potential.

Crop Demonstration program
GSFC has strong belief in the principle of 'Seeing is Believing' and carries conviction as no words can ever do. So far GSFC has conducted thousands of crop demonstration and special trials for the farmers to illustrate the importance of chemical fertilizers and their efficient utilization along with other agri based products. The program has been very successful to disseminate improved farm technologies.

Seeds
Improved and hybrid varieties of seeds have played a vital role to bring the Green Revolution in India. GSFC started systematic crop improvement work since 1994 with the view to evolve high yielding varieties or hybrids in selected crops such as Bajara, Tur, and Cotton with built in genetic resistance to major diseases and pests, improved qualities and other attributes.

Bio fertilizers and Bio tech products
GSFC is one of the leading producers of Bio fertilizers in the country with the capacity to produce 600 MT per annum. The company has been awarded with 'National Productivity Award' five times and FAI award four times. Sardar Amin is one of the most popular products among the farmers.

Tissue Culture Plants
GSFC has commercialized biotechnology by offering high quality tissue culture plants of banana not only in Gujarat but also in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Literature and Agricultural Publications
'Krishi Jivan' is the monthly magazine published by GSFC to disseminate knowledge on scientific agriculture since the company was formed. The readership of this magazine has already touched the level of three lakhs. Hindi version of the magazine, published every quarter and has spread of 7000 readers in the nearby states.

Gujarat Green Revolution Company
Scarcity of water has put stress use of water for agricultural purposes and efficient use of water is the need of the hour. Gujarat Government is promoting the concept of micro irrigation through GGRC through GSFC and GNFC whereby farmers are educated on benefits of micro irrigation systems. The scheme is implemented through 133 depots of GSFC that are located in various parts of Gujarat. One lakh hectares of gross cropped area has been planned to be covered under Micro irrigation scheme by the end of this year.

Water Soluble fertilizers
GSFC provides water-soluble fertilizers to the farming community to enhance the income of farmers through 'Total Solutions' under one umbrella. The level of micronutrients like zinc etc is reducing in the soil. To supplement the supply of the micronutrients in the soil, GSFC has started manufacturing new product Sardar Micro Mix, which contains zinc, ferrous, copper, manganese and boron.  

GSFC Agri Net
To understand the needs of the farmers and educate the farming community about the modern techniques, GSFC has set up GSFC Agri Net outlets, whereby the farmers visit these 'Krishi Mahiti Kendras' and get all relevant information right from the type of soil in the farm to where the produce should be sold to maximize their output prices. In Gujarat GSFC has 133 such outlets that help the farmers and GSFC to stay connected directly with each other.
In a nutshell, offering total solutions to the farming community is the mantra of GSFC, which is a win-win situation for both the company and the farmers. This ultimately would enhance country's prosperity and to handle the challenge of food security of the nation.

- Hansa Modi is Senior Manager, Economic Research with GSFC Ltd.

Email: hansamodi@gsfcltd.com