(L to R) Mr Chaudhary, Dr Bergvinson, Dr Wani and Mr T Vijaya Kumar.
Launch of setting up of 1000 FPOs in phases
Making agriculture profitable by involving farmers along the entire agricultural value chain through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) has been initiated in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Recently 1,000 FPOs were launched by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Mr N Chandrababu Naidu for which ICRISAT will provide technical support. Each FPO, having 1,000 members, will deal with more than one commodity to ensure year-round sustainability. The target is to bring one million farmers under FPOs. On the occasion, 12 corporates signed Memoranda of Understanding covering different commodities to support the FPOs.
The FPOs will provide necessary inputs to the members and also provide market linkages for the farm produce of its members. The scale of operations will enable members to save money on inputs and also get a better share of the market price by working directly with corporates. These FPOs will also serve as knowledge delivery institutions for the farmers.
The FPO policy has been prepared by a group consisting of different line departments of Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, World Economic Forum and ICRISAT steered by Mr Chiranjiv Chaudhary, CEO and Commissioner, Horticulture.
The FPOs have been established under the Rythu Kosam (Primary Sector Mission Project). On the occasion, the Chief Minister and other elected representatives addressed a large gathering of farmers and highlighted the benefits of the FPOs as well as the benefits of the Rythu Kosam program which is technically supported by an ICRISAT-led consortium and is being implemented in all the 13 districts of the state.
The FPOs were launched on 6 August in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. At the event Dr David Bergvinson, Director General, ICRISAT and Dr Suhas Wani, Director, Asia Regional Program ICRISAT interacted with Mr Prathipati Pulla Rao, Agriculture Minister, Mr T Vijaya Kumar, Special Chief Secretary, Agriculture and other officials.
