Climate solutions: Urban Farms Co. (Regenerative Agriculture)

In this short interview, Urban Farms Co. discusses how they are making regenerative agriculture profitable for farmers, how they are measuring impact, and why models like these need to be scaled for India’s climate progress.

 

 

What is your vision for Urban Farms Co.? What do you hope to achieve?

 

Urban Farms Co. (UFCo.) is committed to making regenerative agriculture the preferred choice for small landholding farmers by ensuring it is convenient, efficient, and profitable. With farmers as key stakeholders, we strive to create a seamless transition to sustainable practices while delivering nutrient-rich, chemical free, traceable, and low carbon footprint produce to consumers. By leveraging plant nutrition science, innovative backend hubs, and community-driven models, we aim to enhance farmer profitability, restore soil health, and build a resilient, future-ready food system.

 

 

 

Some of UFCo.'s happy partner farmers. Source: UFCo.

 

 

What is unique or different about UFCo.’s model?

 

UFCo. operates a scalable social enterprise that combines cutting-edge science, community behaviour change strategies, and innovative technology to make regenerative agriculture both efficient and profitable. To drive systemic change, UFCo. physically manages the entire food system—from sourcing raw materials and producing bio-fertilisers to working with partner farmers, procurement, logistics, and sales—creating a decentralised yet resilient food ecosystem. 

 

Central to UFCo.’s model is its network of pioneering regenerative agriculture hubs, which serve as a comprehensive ecosystem for local farmers. These hubs also transform local organic waste into high-quality bio-inputs, leveraging scientific precision to make regenerative farming more accessible and effective. Complementing this is UFCo.’s agritech platform, which designs and monitors farm operations to align with regenerative agriculture principles, ensuring farmers achieve yields equal to or greater than conventional methods. Every farm activity and input is meticulously tracked, with all resources sourced from UFCo.’s regenerative hubs. The farmers sell their produce back at the collection centers in the hub and it then goes through the dedicated logistics supply chain till it reaches UFCo’s B2B customers. 

 

A standout feature of UFCo. is its robust traceability system, enabling businesses and consumers to trace produce from soil to fork. This fosters trust, transparency, and accountability across the supply chain. By integrating regenerative farming practices with advanced technology, UFCo. empowers farmers and businesses to advance toward a net-zero future, making sustainability measurable, impactful, and scalable. 

 

All of the above is driven by the latest science and understanding of plant nutrition. A dedicated Centre of Excellence team focuses on this, with its own testing labs and working with partners across the globe. 
 

 

 

     An aerial view and demo plot of UFCo.'s Delhi hub. Source: UFCo. 

 

 

How are you measuring impact? What impact has UFCo. already achieved?

 

Since its inception in 2019, Urban Farms Co. (UFCo.) has focused on creating measurable impact—both in business growth and environmental sustainability.

 

Business and agriculture science impact: 

• UFCo. has successfully built a strong farmer network, now working with 1,000+ farmers, ensuring a 90% farmer retention season on season. Farmer profitability is a key parameter for farmers continuing with the programme, as there are no subsidies involved in the programme. 
• Farmers are able to transition from conventional agriculture to regenerative agriculture without losing yield and hence having healthy revenue from the first season. Also, UFCo.’s farmer procurement price and consumer sale price is similar to conventional vegetable prices. 
• Our gross margin remains healthy, and year-on-year revenue has doubled, with UFCo. crossing a revenue of $2 million this year. 
• UFCo. has been able to prove the agriculture model and science across various climatic zones and across a spectrum of crops with more than 70+ types of vegetables and 10+ types of non-perishable crops, and production clusters across the country in different terroirs from the Himalayas to the deserts of Rajasthan and the semi-arid to monsoon heavy regions.

 

 

Environmental impact: 

• Our initiatives align with the SBTi (Science-Based Targets initiative) standards, ensuring measurable contributions to global climate action goals.  A detailed Product Carbon Footprint study using the LCA methodology was conducted on two of our SKUs by the consulting firm WSP (Denmark); the report shows a 100 times lower footprint for our products in comparison to conventional agriculture. 
• 20K+ tonnes of crop residue upcycled, helping to improve air quality and soil health while promoting sustainable farming practices. 
• Large-scale adoption of regenerative practices, leading to improved soil health and ecosystem restoration. 
• 35K+ tonnes of compost created to replace chemical fertilisers, enriching soil naturally. 
• 15K+ tonnes of high-quality, nutrient-dense produce grown without synthetic inputs, meeting both consumer and environmental objectives.
  
  UFCo. continues to set new benchmarks in regenerative agriculture, proving that sustainability and scalability can go hand in hand.
   

 

 

     Compost in making - the process of watering the heap. Source: Urban Farms Co. 

 

 

 

Why is this solution important for India? What do you think your approach builds evidence for?

 

Urban Farms Co. (UFCo.) was established as a proof of concept for a future food system that harmonises with nature and human needs while ensuring food and nutrition security. Designed with a market-driven approach, the model emphasises financial sustainability, scalability, and affordability to create a viable and impactful business. 

 

Over the past five years, UFCo.’s model has gained rapid adoption among small landholding farmers, spanning diverse produce—including 70+ varieties of vegetables and 10 varieties of non-perishables—across multiple climatic zones. The standardised operating procedures (SoPs) for its regenerative agriculture hubs and the agritech application have streamlined replication, making it easier to establish and scale new farming clusters. 

 

UFCo.’s approach ensures competitive pricing, making regenerative produce accessible without dependence on government subsidies or imported raw materials for fertiliser production. This self-reliance is critical for strengthening India’s agricultural resilience. 

 

UFCo. has demonstrated that regenerative agriculture does not compromise yields; instead, it enhances nutrient density and food security. By focusing on soil health and biodiversity, UFCo. provides a scalable blueprint for transforming food systems, proving that sustainable farming can be both profitable and climate-positive for farmers and businesses alike.

 

 

 

A worker presenting a crate of fresh radish after it has been sorted, graded,
and packed to be transported to the customer from UFCo.'s Delivery Centre.
Source: UFCo

 

 

 

What can we benefit from scaling a model like UFCo.’s?

 

Scaling UFCo.’s regenerative agriculture model will help build a robust food system that is self-sufficient and not dependent on subsidies or external inputs like synthetic fertilisers. By eliminating reliance on chemicals, we prevent the depletion of soil health, ensuring long-term agricultural sustainability. 

 

A scaled approach will also have a transformative impact on India’s natural resources—protecting the groundwater table, improving air quality by reducing crop residue burning, and making farmlands more climate-resilient. 

 

For farmers, this means sustainable livelihoods with higher profitability and long-term land productivity. For consumers, it guarantees access to nutrient-dense food grown without harmful chemicals. On a global scale, UFCo.’s expansion will drive a climate-positive shift in agriculture, proving that food production can restore ecosystems while feeding the world.

 

 

 

What will we lose if we don’t support solutions like this?

 

Failing to support solutions like Urban Farms Co. will lead to severe disruptions in the food supply chain, making India’s agricultural system vulnerable to external shocks such as geopolitical conflicts (Russia-Ukraine war) and global crises (COVID-19). Dependence on imported fertilisers and subsidies will continue to put a heavy financial burden on the government, making food production less sustainable in the long run. 

 

Without regenerative practices, soil fertility will keep depleting, leading to lower yields, increased input costs for farmers, and long-term land degradation. Additionally, agriculture will remain a major contributor to climate change, delaying progress toward net-zero goals and worsening extreme weather conditions. 

 

Supporting solutions like UFCo. is not just about sustainable farming—it’s about securing India’s food future, ensuring economic stability for farmers, and building a climate-resilient agricultural system for generations to come.

 

 

 

Any learnings that you’d like to share with funders?

 

• A new approach to plant nutrition, rethinking the food system: 
  To scale regenerative agriculture effectively, we must embrace the latest scientific understanding of plant nutrition through biological pathways. This shift in approach to soil health necessitates a transformation across the entire food system—from redefining soil deficiency and health metrics to redesigning farm systems and creating procurement supply chains that support diverse crops.
• Behaviour change is key to farmer adoption: 
  Successful adoption of regenerative practices hinges on engaging farming communities, addressing their immediate challenges, and showcasing tangible benefits such as increased profitability, reduced input costs, and enhanced land productivity. By prioritising convenience and leveraging economies of scale, regenerative agriculture becomes a practical and scalable solution for smallholder farmers.
• Measuring impact with scientific and business metrics: 
  To ensure credibility and transparency, we quantify carbon sequestration, soil nutrition, and ecosystem restoration using third-party validation and cutting-edge scientific methods. Simultaneously, we track business metrics such as profitability, market acceptance, and revenue growth to demonstrate that regenerative agriculture is not only an environmental imperative but also a financially viable and scalable business model.

 

 

 

Any messages for funders looking at this space?
 

• The future of food systems is at stake: 
  The existing food system is crumbling due to soil degradation, water scarcity, and supply chain disruptions. Investing in regenerative agriculture is not just about sustainability—it’s about securing the future of food production in a way that restores ecosystems while maintaining profitability.
• Regenerative agriculture is the fastest-growing climate solution: 
  With increasing regulatory compliance and corporate climate commitments, businesses are rapidly shifting towards climate-positive sourcing. Regenerative agriculture will see the fastest adoption, making it a high-impact and future-proof investment.
• Consumers are driving market demand for healthier food:
  The growing consumer awareness of nutrition and food quality is turning regenerative agriculture into a market-driven opportunity. Backing solutions in this space means tapping into one of the most promising, scalable investment areas that align with both climate action and business growth.

 

Watch this film to learn more about Urban Farms Co.