Farmer Development Centre: A One-stop Solution to Empower Farmers

With the potential to act as a catalyst for change in the agricultural sphere, FPOs have established their positive role in enhancing farmers’ capacity through a market-oriented approach. In addition to the increased net income of farmers, FPOs have improved access to agro-services and magnified efficiency of farming operations. However, there are obstacles and policy gaps present in the farming ecosystem.

Some of the key challenges faced in this regard include limited access to market and basic infrastructure, inadequate professional management, weak financials, lack of knowledge and technical skills. In a bid to resolve these ongoing issues faced by FPOs, the Farmer Development Centre (FDC) was born.

This innovative initiative truly aligns with Samunnati’s vision to make the ecosystem work for smallholder farmers across all agri value chains. With the intent of making the future of farming more accessible and reliable, we partnered with eFresh Agribusiness Solutions to set up FDCs across the country. As of 2021, 72 FDCs have been established across 9 states with many more in the pipeline.

Designed in the form of a physical store, FDCs cater to a variety of farming needs – ranging from seeds and fertilisers to post-harvest solutions. Emerging as a new wave of rural outlets located across towns and villages to aid the communities in the vicinity, FDCs erase the need for farmers to rely on external sources for their logistical and supply chain requirements.

Owned, operated and managed solely by FPOs, they mark a new epoch for farmers by minimizing efforts and maximizing output. The main purpose of this one-stop-shop is to simplify the process of procurement for farmers. By leveraging the power of aggregation, they can acquire raw materials in a cost-efficient and timely manner. With sustainability and smoother operational efficiency at their heart, FDCs help farmers thrive and find higher productivity and profitability.

FDCs play an instrumental role in sensitising and orienting farmers to respond to present day challenges in agricultural marketing. And this is where the smart and safe platform has been formulated to provide support to agripreneurs and FPOs.

Leveraging technology, FDCs are fully equipped to offer pioneering solutions that support ease of doing business using quality management systems and smart farming initiatives. A revolutionary initiative in the Agri industry, the multi-functional Pay Cards enable digital transactions for farmers, thereby simplifying on-time payments. While the execution is currently in the pilot stage, the initiative is at the forefront of digital transactions in the Agri industry.

Driven by multiple initiatives under Samunnati’s AMLA intervention, FDCs provide better market accessibility, inventory management, efficient commodity pricing mechanism, traceability of farm produce and sales monitoring to name a few.

The uniqueness of FDC includes access to modern technologies, farm machinery, facilitation of capacity building and improved agricultural practices. Acting as a powerhouse of knowledge and skill development, FDCs seek to empower farmers through education and advisory services.

While infusing the much-required investments, FDCs will go a long way in boosting the income of FPOs and their members while fostering a culture of trust and mutual concern to make working a rewarding experience for all its stakeholders.

Watch the virtual launch of 14 Farmer Development Centres across Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan – https://youtu.be/1nTpyXBIau4