The Sustainable Trade Summit (SUTRA Summit) was launched in response to the persistent challenges faced by businesses in comprehensively engaging with their supply chains to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and agricultural ecosystems nationwide. While some significant projects aimed at restoring the earning capacity of smallholder farmers are underway, there remains a substantial gap in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as businesses. Issues like climate-resilient seeds, improved farm-level inputs, dwindling biodiversity in croplands, inadequate income for smallholders, and environmental inequalities persist at the grassroots level.

One major challenge is the lack of consumer awareness, resulting in companies not taking sufficient steps to ensure responsible sourcing of agri-commodities. Merely tracing the origin of agri-commodities to specific farmers or farmlands is insufficient, as it doesn't reflect the overall well-being of farmers or land productivity.

The Sutra Summit, along with its capacity-building, advisory, benchmarking, and responsible sourcing framework management activities, aims to revolutionize how companies operate in this sphere. The inaugural Sutra Summit, held on December 16-17, 2023, at Le Meridien in Gurgaon, initiated pre-competitive collaboration among companies on sustainable and responsible sourcing. It provided a platform for thought leadership, showcasing innovative ideas, and fostering collaboration among participating companies, civil society organizations, government representatives, and other stakeholders.

In 2024, the Sutra Summit continues to be a thriving forum, facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration and enabling stakeholders to set and systematically meet responsible sourcing targets throughout commodity harvest cycles. It remains committed to driving progress across various parameters in the realm of responsible sourcing.

IDH seeks to transform markets and enable businesses to create value for people and planet. IDH brings stakeholders together from across global value chains, to innovate and invest in solutions for sustainable and inclusive international trade. In 15 years of operation, IDH has mobilised private sector investment and support for new business models creating better jobs, better incomes, a better environment, and gender equity for all.

In India, since 2009, we have focused on enhancing smallholder livelihoods and inclusion across various agri-based commodities. Our initiatives emphasize sustainable production, women's empowerment, worker safety, improved working conditions, value chain development, responsible sourcing, and creating positive social impact. Our programs and partnerships align with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and have supported systems change across 3 areas: strengthening sector and landscape governance, improving business practices, and driving eld-level sustainability. For more information, please visit www.idhsustainabletrade.com

Sattva Consulting is a global impact consulting firm from India. Since 2009 we have been engaging with communities, business and government to achieve societal impact at scale.

We believe that Civil society, Business and Government all have a critical role to play in building an equitable and sustainable world, and we actively partner with all stakeholders to enable impact through our advisory & orchestration services, knowledge and data platforms which we have built as public goods for the ecosystem and collaborative solutions and partnerships. For more information, please visit www.sattva.co.in