ADM India: Five Years of ProTerra Certification –Advancing Sustainable, Non-GMO Soy and Strengthening Smallholder Livelihoods

For the last few decades, ADM has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s agri-food sector. Guided by its purpose to unlock the power of nature and enrich the quality of life, the company works closely with farmers, scientific partners and local communities to support agricultural development and improve food and feed security. Through its integrated presence in origination, oilseed processing, commodities, animal nutrition and human nutrition, ADM combines global expertise with deep local collaboration to create value across the food value chain.

A central part of ADM’s sustainability approach is its commitment to helping farmers adopt environmentally responsible, socially inclusive and market-oriented production practices. In this context, ADM India has reached an important milestone: five consecutive years of ProTerra certification—a globally recognised standard for sustainable, socially responsible and fully traceable non-GMO supply chains.

This achievement reflects ADM’s long-term support to farmers through the Shashwat Sheti Upakram initiative and its leadership in scaling sustainable agriculture across India.

Shashwat Sheti Upakram: Building Stronger, More Sustainable Farming Systems

Launched in collaboration with partners, the Shashwat Sheti Upakram programme supports farmers in adopting good agricultural practices and improving access to organised value chains.

Key achievements to date: • 7 districts covered • 53,000 farmers engaged • 95,000 hectares under sustainable management • 5 partner organisations • Aligned with 7 UN SDGs • ProTerra-certified for Non-GMO Soybean Seed, Soybean Meal, Soybean Oil and Lecithin

The programme’s phased approach recognises the realities of local agricultural development priorities, especially for the majority of the smallholders, who lack support in terms of limited record keeping, infrastructure constraints and the need for continuousend-to-end support. Through regular training, field demonstrations, and farmer group strengthening, it is helping to build more resilient production systems.

Five Years of ProTerra Certification: A Milestone of Credibility and Commitment

ADM India recently marked five years of continuous ProTerra certification, demonstrating long-term commitment, sound internal controls and robust sustainability performance.

Certified area: • 35,000 hectares (2019–2024) • Expanding to 95,000 hectares under the current certification Farmers benefiting: • 53,000 smallholders, including thousands of women Certified products: • Non-GMO Soybean Seed • ProTerra-certified Soybean Meal (key for feed and export markets) • ProTerra-certified Soybean Oil • ProTerra-certified Lecithin (high-value ingredient for food applications)

With this portfolio, ADM India serves as a pivotal contributor to the food value chain, offering fully traceable, non-GMO and deforestation-free soy ingredients verified under a credible, internationally recognised standard.

Five Years of Measurable Improvements

ProTerra certification has contributed to strengthening ADM’s field systems, data quality, supply chain integrity and farmer engagement.

Environmental improvements • Wider adoption of good agricultural practices • Reduced risk of deforestation and land conversion • More uniform record-keeping enabling monitoring of agrochemical use • Increased resilience through sustainable practices Social and governance improvements • Strengthened grievance mechanisms and worker protections • Empowerment of egality through targeted training • Greater transparency through documented labour, land and community practices Supply chain and market improvements • Full traceability from farm to processing • Better internal control systems aligned with ProTerra’s core indicators • Meeting demand from global markets requiring deforestation-free, non-GMO, third-party verified ingredients • Enhanced credibility through independent annual audits
Why ProTerra Matters • Builds trust with global buyers demanding non-GMO, deforestation-free, responsibly sourced soy • Improves data quality and traceability across the supply chain • Strengthens farm-level practices through verified criteria and training • Supports continuous improvement—not only compliance • Aligns with global expectations, including deforestation-free and corporate due diligence requirements

For ADM, ProTerra certification is not simply a badge—it is a framework for responsible growth.

Independent ProTerra audits provide external assurance of ADM India’s progress. These audits verify compliance, identify improvements, strengthen data systems and provide international buyers with credible sustainability guarantees in an increasingly regulated marketplace.

Looking Ahead: Scaling Impact Across India

ADM India’s five-year ProTerra certification milestone celebrates far more than verified compliance—it represents a deep-rooted commitment to sustainable agriculture, farmer livelihoods and traceable, non-GMO soy supply chains, and highlights how global standards, local partnerships and farmer-centred innovation can come together to create lasting impact. As the company continues to scale its work, the foundations built through ProTerra certification will support stronger, more resilient farming communities and contribute to India’s long-term food and feed security, making ADM’s journey a powerful example of meaningful, sustained progress.

About ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re an essential global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. We’re a premier human and animal nutrition provider, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of ingredients and solutions from nature. We’re a trailblazer in health and well-being, with an industry-leading range of products for consumers looking for new ways to live healthier lives. We’re a cutting-edge innovator, guiding the way to a future of new bio-based consumer and industrial solutions. And we’re leading in business-driven sustainability efforts that support a strong agricultural sector, resilient supply chains, and a vast and growing bioeconomy. Around the globe, our expertise and innovation are meeting critical needs from harvest to home. Learn more at www.adm.com.