Overview- Leading PepsiCo India's Positive Agriculture agenda for two key crops-chip-grade potatoes and food-grade corn.
- To Ensure developing and scaling regenerative agricultural practices, strengthening farmer ecosystems, improving climate resilience, and ensuring responsible, traceable, and sustainable sourcing that supports long-term business continuity for PepsiCo Foods India.
Responsibilities- Sustainable Agriculture & Regenerative Farming Strategy
- Develop and execute PepsiCo's Positive Agriculture Roadmap for Potato and Corn.
- Drive large-scale adoption of regenerative practices:
- Soil health improvement
- Water-use efficiency
- Reduced GHG emissions
- Crop diversification & integrated pest management
- Ensure alignment to PepsiCo Global Sustainable Agriculture and ESG commitments.
- Responsible Sourcing & Supply Security
- Support the Agro Operations and Supply Chain teams in ensuring secure, high-quality, sustainably grown potato and corn supply.
- Lead geographic expansion strategy by identifying high-potential production zones and resilient hybrids/varieties.
- Strengthen farmer partnerships, FPO/FPC engagements, and long-term sourcing frameworks.
- Farmer Livelihood & Capability Building
- Design and deliver capability-building programs for PepsiCo contract farmers including:
- Good Agricultural Practices
- Input optimization
- Post-harvest management
- Regenerative agriculture modules
- Implement field demonstration plots, model farms, and technology trials.
- Sustainability Compliance, Audits & Reporting
- Ensure FSA/SAI compliance for all potato and corn sustainable sourcing operations.
- Lead third-party audits, field verifications, and documentation as per PepsiCo global standards.
- Manage sustainability data reporting, baselining and impact measurement across all agro locations.
- Innovation, Technology & Digital Agriculture
- Identify and implement digital tools for:
- Field monitoring (remote sensing, digital agronomy)
- Crop traceability
- Soil and water metrics
- Partner with agri-tech startups, input companies, and research institutes for innovative solutions.
- Cross-functional Collaboration
- Agro Operations for agronomy improvements
- R&D for potato and corn variety development
- Sustainability & ESG teams for reporting and disclosures
- Manufacturing & Quality for raw material consistency
- Procurement & External Affairs for farmer/partner engagement
- Represent PepsiCo in sustainability forums, government platforms, and industry bodies.
- Program Management & Partnerships
- Lead multi-state sustainable agriculture programs with government bodies, NGOs, CSR partners and global foundations.
- Manage budgets, grants, external funding, and partner performance.
- Prepare periodic reviews for global and India leadership teams.
QualificationsQualifications & Experience
- Master's in Agriculture, Agronomy, Agri-Business, or Environmental Science.
- 10-12 years of experience in sustainable agriculture, agronomy, potato/corn crop management or agri-supply chains.
- Strong technical understanding of potato and corn farming systems, seed varieties, irrigation, pest/disease management and soil health.
- Experience in regenerative agriculture, farmer program management, and sustainability certifications (SAI/FSA).
- Proven ability to work with farmer communities, NGOs, government schemes and agri-tech ecosystems.
Key Skills & Competencies
- Agronomy excellence - Potato & Corn
- Sustainability & regenerative farming expertise
- Data & digital agronomy usage
- Program management & large-scale implementation
- Farmer relationship management
- Stakeholder & partner engagement
- Strong communication & influence skills
- Analytical mindset and sustainability reporting capability
