In a landmark development for India’s edible oil sector, leading industry associations, research institutions, government bodies, and civil society organizations have come together in Bhopal to accelerate the National Alliance for Regenerative Vegetable Oil Sector (NARVOS). Anchored by Solidaridad, NARVOS aims to drive large-scale adoption of regenerative agriculture, which restores soil health, boosts productivity, and strengthens farmers’ resilience to climate change. On this occasion, the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), announced a commitment to buy back regenerative products along with its 800 member companies—demonstrating strong industry support for the transition.

The initiative, held as part of the Multistakeholder Meeting on Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Vegetable Oil under the EU–India partnership, is aimed at building climate-resilient food systems, strengthening sustainable value chains, and driving farmer-centric innovations. With active participation from SEA, SOPA, AWL Agri Business, the Indian Institute of Soil Science (IISS), and several CSOs, the alliance marks a significant step towards reducing India’s edible oil import dependency, enhancing farmer livelihoods, and positioning the country as a global leader in sustainable vegetable oil production.

The event featured dynamic panel discussions on key themes, including the role of businesses and industry associations as catalysts for regenerative agriculture, contributions of CSOs, grassroots engagement and enabling policies, and advancing gender-inclusive supply chains and technologies.