Arijit Karmakar
Manager - CSR & ESG
Jamshedpur
Work Preference
Summary
A seasoned CSR and Agriculture Development Manager with over 7 years of experience in agriculture, rural livelihoods, and climate-resilient farming initiatives. Adept at managing large-scale projects, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and developing sustainable livelihood models. Proven track record of securing significant funding, fostering strategic partnerships, and driving impactful community development programs.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
6
6
Certifications
3
3
Languages
Work History
Manager – CSR
Samunnati Foundation
05.2025 - Current
- Leading CSR initiatives with a focus on climate-resilient agriculture and livelihood enhancement in Jharkhand.
- Mentoring teams and overseeing capacity-building sessions for farmer groups (women-led FPO).
- Designing and implementing pilots under Climate Resilient Agriculture.
- Secured funding and created detailed proposals for CSR projects related to biodiversity, climate-smart agriculture, and World Bank-funded project proposals.
- Introducing a bank-led integrated livestock model with marginal communities with 2x income-based outcomes.
- Act as an agriculture expert technical support to the FPO's CEO on high-value crop cultivation.
- Leveraging government schemes and stakeholder engagement in the existing projects.
- Handling social media/digital footprint for Samunnati FPO Conclave 2025-26, managing events.
Manager – Agriculture
TATA Steel Foundation
11.2021 - 04.2025
- Implemented the Climate Resilient Agriculture Framework, impacting over 20,000 farmers across two states.
- Raised ₹60 crore in funding for agricultural projects, including horticulture, and integrated farming systems.
- Provided technical support to various CSR initiatives within the TATA Group, including TSLPL, JCAPCPL, Tinplate, and Tata Metallic.
- Managed Corporate Environment Responsibility projects in Ludhiana, focusing on water- and environment-positive initiatives with over 1,000 farmers, including crop residue management, and in-situ moisture conservation.
- Supported Tata Steel’s Blue Carbon offset projects, including mangrove restoration in the Sundarbans, West Bengal.
- Introduced the Evidence Architecture Framework for agriculture and allied projects, including KPI trackers, Theory of Change, CREAM indicators, and monitoring and evaluation trackers.
- Administered financial management, CSR compliance, safety management, EHS compliance, and MIS through effective planning, execution, and timely reporting.
- Initiated collective farm-based models by forming and linking farming communities through institutions like FPOs, and business and market linkages.
- Prepared crop modules, packages of practices (POP), concept notes, and proposals for external partnerships, raising ₹60 crore for projects in integrated farming, horticulture, and watershed development with Citi Bank, NABARD, and the Government of Jharkhand.
Program Executive – Agriculture
ITC Ltd.
12.2018 - 10.2021
- Managed sustainable agriculture projects across 11 districts, impacting over 50,000 farmers.
- Oversaw CSR project goals related to water, carbon, biodiversity, and waste management in Bihar and Jharkhand.
- Administered financial management, CSR compliance, safety management, EHS compliance, and MIS through planning, execution, and timely reporting.
- Led the Sustainable Agriscape of Future Project, coordinating across 110 villages and benefiting over 5,000 farmers in riverine ecosystems, forests, lakes, and wetlands, in partnership with the IUCN.
- Facilitated CCAFS Climate Smart Village Programme, impacting over 10,000 farmers, and coordinated with state/local governments and NGOs for enhanced resilience.
- Developed crop modules, packages of practices (POP), concept notes, and proposals for partnerships with MGNREGA, IUCN, and CCAFS, building capacity among field staff, and promoting sustainable practices for increased family income.
- Led transformation efforts for the Aspirational District Program under NITI Aayog in five districts of Bihar and two districts of Jharkhand, creating fifty model villages in each district, in collaboration with eight agriculture departments.
- Conducted a 5-year Core Area Perspective Plan (CAPP) survey using qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, aligning outcomes with SDG indicators.
- Signed an MoU with BRLPS for establishing a custom hiring center and KVK in Munger, promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices tailored to the local agro-climatic zone.
Agronomist – Fruits & Vegetables
Bigbasket
03.2018 - 11.2018
- Established a farmer collection center with a 10 MT/day capacity, connecting over 500 farmers directly with the company.
- Doing the Purchase Order (PO) and GRN of the linked produce linked through farmers.
- Initiated linkage with WBSRLM for scheme linkage to the farmers for additional benefits to the farmers.
- Imparted technical training on vegetable crops through a module on a time-to-time basis.
- Created organizational business opportunities by linking more than 1000 farmers and their linkage.
- Improved variety of crops according to the company’s quality standards with farmers, improved packaging of new crops to reduce crop damage, and new high-value crops for greater availability of new products.
Education
Master of Science - Agriculture & Rural Development
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University
West Bengal01.2017
Bachelor of Science - Microbiology
Swami Vivekananda Institute of Modern Science
West Bengal01.2015
Skills
Project Management: CSR Planning, M&E Frameworks, Financial Oversight, Strategic Partnerships
Agriculture & Livelihoods: Climate Resilient Agriculture, Integrated Farming Systems, Water Stewardship, Biodiversity Management
Business Development: Proposal Writing, Fund Mobilization, Market Linkages, FPO/FPC Strengthening
Team leadership, Operations management, Strategic planning, Decision-making
Certification
Be10x – AI Tools Workshop : Gained hands-on experience with daily essential AI tools.
Awards
Best Environmental Practices Award 2021 – CII National Award for Environmental Best Practices, Recognized by MoEFCC for successful landscape development and biodiversity conservation initiatives.
Academic Achievements
- Executed dissertation on the “Impact of Natural Disaster on Rural Livelihoods: The Case of Cyclone ‘Aila’ in Selected Areas of Sundarbans
- Conducted rural exposure in North and South Bengal and other districts in West Bengal.
Assessments
- Prepared a comprehensive value chain development assessment report on onion, mushroom, potato, and beekeeping for the Aspirational District Program under Niti Aayog in Bihar and Jharkhand, analyzing inputs, socio-economic conditions, practices, and knowledge gaps, and providing recommendations on government policies, credit support, market access, value addition, and processing to enhance efficiency and profitability.
- Designed and conducted the Core Area Perspective Plan (CAPP) survey for a 5-year development plan, developing a budget aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to manage natural resources, agricultural development, biodiversity conservation, and livelihood enhancement, and integrating SDG indicators into project planning.
- Prepared a technical note on Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technology with IRRI and CIMMYT, analyzing the shift from puddled transplanting to DSR, and promoting water-saving technologies across 8 districts covering 50,000 acres while supporting water-positive efforts through DSR integration.
- Led the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) project, scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices across 5 villages, promoting water-saving techniques in wheat and paddy, developing a sampling methodology, collaborating on field experiments, and creating MIS and leaflets, which received endorsement from KVK for its success in sustainable agriculture.
Languages
English
Upper intermediate (B2)
Bengali
Upper intermediate (B2)
Hindi
Upper intermediate (B2)
Timeline
FAO Certificate in Agricultural Ecosystem-based Solutions
08-2025
Be10x – AI Tools Workshop : Gained hands-on experience with daily essential AI tools.
07-2025
Post Graduate Program in ESG- Zell Education & Uniqus Consultech
06-2025
Manager – CSR
Samunnati Foundation
05.2025 - Current
Art of Statistics – XLRI Jamshedpur
07-2023
CII & UNDP – Building Resilience to Climate Change & Biodiversity Loss
05-2022
Manager – Agriculture
TATA Steel Foundation
11.2021 - 04.2025
ITC Gurukul – Project Management
06-2020
Program Executive – Agriculture
ITC Ltd.
12.2018 - 10.2021
Agronomist – Fruits & Vegetables
Bigbasket
03.2018 - 11.2018
Master of Science - Agriculture & Rural Development
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University
Bachelor of Science - Microbiology
Swami Vivekananda Institute of Modern Science