North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society

Non-profit Community Development / Indigenous Food Systemsnesfas.in

NESFAS is a Shillong-based non-profit that protects and revitalizes indigenous food systems and agrobiodiversity across 600+ communities in Meghalaya and Nagaland through Agroecology Learning Circles, community seed banks, school meals, and livelihood programs.

Company typePrivate
Founded2012
HeadquartersShillong, India
Headcount51–100
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society does

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS) is a non-profit society founded in 2012 and headquartered in Shillong, Meghalaya, India, that works to protect and revitalize indigenous food systems and agrobiodiversity across Northeast India. The organization engages approximately 600 indigenous communities across more than 100 villages in Meghalaya and Nagaland, with a documented reach of 2,000+ Agroecology Learning Circle (ALC) members (83% women and youth), 3,000 targeted households, 1,500 school children across 26 schools, and 210 People's Biodiversity Registers under supported upgradation. Its core product is the Agroecology Learning Circle (ALC) — community-governed platforms that integrate scientific and Indigenous knowledge to promote biodiversity, soil health, seed preservation, and nutrition — supplemented by a portfolio of community programs including Mei-Ramew food festivals, farmers' markets, Indigenous Slow Cafés, community seed banks, Fresh Roots, an Indigenous Youth Fellowship Programme, and diversified school meals.

NESFAS does not sell products or services commercially; the revenue model is grant-funded, with a documented Rs. 9.41 Crores (~$1.1M) CSR grant from Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) for the 'No One Shall Be Left Behind' project, supplemented by funding and partnerships from the World Bank (via MBMA under the CLLMP), IFAD, UNDP, GEF, LIC Housing Finance, Tata Communications CSR, MSSRF, Slow Food International, The Indigenous Partnership (TIP), FAO, The Nature Conservancy, and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. Go-to-market is community-led: implementation runs through village-level mobilization, schools, women's groups, and youth, supported by implementing partners (NEN, SURE, SSC) and field facilitators. Distribution is direct-to-community rather than commercial, with channels including ALCs, school partnerships, Mei-Ramew Cafés, and farmers' markets.

The organization is led by Founding Chairperson Bah Phrang Roy (also Coordinator of The Indigenous Partnership), Chairperson Nestar Kharmawphlang, and Executive Director Pius Ranee. NESFAS has received multiple high-credibility global recognitions including the 2025 FAO World Food Forum Global Innovation Award (selected from 360 applicants for the ALC model), the 2021 IFAD Indigenous Peoples Award, the 2021 Hallbars Sustainability Publication Award (with Hall of Fame induction), the 2025 INDIAdonates Ground-up Action Award, and a 2019 Beacon of Hope designation. 21 ALCs have been formally registered as cooperative societies, institutionalizing community ownership and signaling a transition from project-based intervention to permanent cooperative infrastructure.

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society firmographics

Firmographics

Name: North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society
Legal name: North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society
Website: https://nesfas.in
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2012
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 51–100 employees
Short description: NESFAS is a Shillong-based non-profit that protects and revitalizes indigenous food systems and agrobiodiversity across 600+ communities in Meghalaya and Nagaland through Agroecology Learning Circles, community seed banks, school meals, and livelihood programs.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society industry classification

Industry

Product category: Non-profit Community Development / Indigenous Food Systems
NAICS: Community Food Services (62421)
akta.pro industry: PRIMARYBPAGAGAI
Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems
Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations
SECONDARYBPAGALAD
Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative)
Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations
SECONDARYBPADAJAH
Resilient Livelihoods & Climate-Smart Food Security
Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Food Security & Nutrition Programs
SECONDARYBPAGABAB
Agriculture & Food Security Development
Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation
SECONDARYBPADALAG
Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems & Land Management
Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

Keywords

Indigenous food systems
Agrobiodiversity conservation
Community agroecology
Sustainable livelihoods
Traditional farming practices

Where North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Shillong
HQ country: India
HQ region: Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Grant Funding: NESFAS operates primarily through grants and CSR funding from organizations such as Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), World Bank/MBMA, IFAD, and various government and international agencies to support their community programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society product offering

Product offering

Core offering

NESFAS is a non-profit society that designs and delivers community-led programs to protect and revitalize indigenous food systems and agrobiodiversity in Northeast India. Its core offerings include the Agroecology Learning Circles (ALC) community platform, Mei-Ramew Food Festivals, Mei-Ramew Cafés, Farmers' Markets, Community Seed Banks, a School Meals Program, the Indigenous Youth Fellowship Programme, and People's Biodiversity Registers documentation. The organization integrates indigenous knowledge with agroecological science to strengthen food security, nutrition, and sustainable livelihoods across 600+ partner communities in Meghalaya and Nagaland.

Product overview

NESFAS (North East Society for Agroecology Support), also known as North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society, operates as a community-focused non-profit organization rather than a software product company. Its portfolio consists of physical community programs and platforms including Agroecology Learning Circles (ALC), Mei-Ramew Food Festivals, Mei-Ramew Farmers' Markets, Mei-Ramew Cafés, Community Seed Banks, School Meals Programs, Indigenous Youth Fellowship Programme, and People's Biodiversity Registers. These programs work together to promote agroecology, preserve indigenous food systems, protect agrobiodiversity, and empower indigenous communities in Northeast India through experiential learning, knowledge sharing, and sustainable livelihood development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Mei-Ramew: Indigenous food festival and brand initiative promoting traditional cuisine and local food systems
Agroecology Learning Circles (ALC)

Quantifiable outcome

600 communities engaged, 2,000+ ALC members (83% women and youth)
+4 more outcomes

Companies that use North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society

Customer profile

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

The Indigenous Partnership (TIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIP is a key strategic partner for international support and coordination of Indigenous food systems advocacy, co-organizing Indigenous Terra Madre conferences and providing technical guidance.
The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTNC partners with NESFAS on landscape management and conservation initiatives, supporting the upgradation of People's Biodiversity Registers and development of management plans.
FAOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations provides institutional support and hosted the World Food Forum where NESFAS received the Global Innovation Award 2025.
Slow Food InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partner for the Terra Madre/Salone del Gusto events and alignment with Slow Food's 'Good, Clean and Fair' philosophy for sustainable food systems.
State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSIRD serves as a venue for Indigenous Youth Fellowship Programme training and provides institutional support for capacity building programs in Meghalaya.
North East Network (NEN)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNEN Nagaland is an implementing partner for the 'No One Shall Be Left Behind' project, contributing to community engagement in Nagaland.
Society for Urban and Rural Empowerment (SURE)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSURE is an implementing partner for projects in Jaintia Hills, contributing to community mobilization and livelihood programs including Mei-Ramew Cafes.
Social Service Centre (SSC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSSC Shillong Archdiocese is an implementing partner contributing to project execution in Shillong area communities.
Meghalaya Biodiversity BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body partnered with NESFAS for supporting People's Biodiversity Registers and conservation initiatives.
Alliance of Bioversity International and CIATminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research organization partnered for agrobiodiversity and food systems research and documentation.
Tata CommunicationsminorOthersCorporate partner providing CSR support for NESFAS initiatives and programs.
MSSRFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerM.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation partners on research and documentation of indigenous knowledge and food systems.
TebtebbaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational indigenous peoples' organization partnered on policy and advocacy for indigenous food systems.
The LOCAVOREminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood company partnered for promoting local foods and organizing millet commemoration events with chefs and communities.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

GRAIN: International non-profit supporting small farmers and Indigenous communities in agroecology and seed sovereignty. Comparable advocacy and knowledge-documentation work, with broader geographic and policy remit.
Agroecology Fund: Global pooled fund that finances agroecology movements, including Indigenous-led organisations. Comparable ecosystem position and frequently a co-funder alongside NESFAS' institutional donors.
M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF): Major Indian food security and agrobiodiversity research foundation and explicit NESFAS partner. Comparable mandate on biodiversity and tribal food systems but operates as a broader, well-established research institution.

Emerging players

Seed Savers Exchange: US-based heirloom seed preservation network with a comparable seed bank and community exchange model. Less directly Indigenous-focused but operationally similar in stewarding community seed systems.
Indigenous Food Lab: North American initiative developing Indigenous food businesses and culinary training. Comparable mission of strengthening Indigenous food systems and creating livelihoods, though focused on North American contexts.
Native Seeds/SEARCH: Southwestern US seed conservation organisation preserving Indigenous crop varieties. Directly comparable to NESFAS' Community Seed Banks and Biodiversity Bank programmes, though with a more retail-oriented model.

Direct peers

The Indigenous Partnership (TIP): Direct strategic partner and co-organiser of Indigenous Terra Madre. Comparable mission around Indigenous food sovereignty and knowledge systems; works at the international coordination layer that complements NESFAS' field implementation.
Slow Food International: Global movement NESFAS is explicitly affiliated with as 'North East Slow Food.' Operates the Terra Madre/Salone del Gusto events and 'Good, Clean and Fair' philosophy that NESFAS implements locally in Meghalaya.
Navdanya: Indian agroecology and community seed bank movement founded by Vandana Shiva. Closest comparable in scale and geography, with overlapping seed-saving, biodiversity, and farmer training programmes in India.
Tebtebba: Indigenous peoples' international policy and research organisation, listed as an NESFAS partner. Comparable focus on Indigenous food systems, advocacy, and rights-based research, with broader geographic reach across Asia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society

What does North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society do?

Is North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society a public or private company?

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society founded?

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society based?

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society is headquartered in Shillong, India, in the Asia region.

How does North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society make money?

One revenue line is on record: grant Funding.

Who are North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are GRAIN, Agroecology Fund and M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). Emerging players are Seed Savers Exchange, Indigenous Food Lab and Native Seeds/SEARCH. Direct peers are The Indigenous Partnership (TIP), Slow Food International, Navdanya and Tebtebba.

Does North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society have an API?

No public API is recorded for North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society.

What industry is North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society in?

North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society's product category is Non-profit Community Development / Indigenous Food Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAI, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, with a secondary code of BPAGALAD, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative). Its NAICS code is 62421.