I found immense inspiration in Savita Gadre and Ramshila Kudape’s journey. These visionary leaders are directors at Chhindwara Organic Farmers Enterprise (COFE), spearheading India’s Farmer Producer Companies (FPC) movement
The FPC model, combining cooperative and private limited company structures, promises to revolutionize Indian agriculture, particularly for small-scale farmers with less than one hectare of land. COFE boasts 900+ female farmer members across 214 predominantly tribal villages in Madhya Pradesh. Their FPC collaborates with farmers engaged in custard apple harvesting, organic cotton cultivation, and peas collection by local women farmers. Their expertise in managing a cold chain has earned recognition from Dinshaw’s, a frozen foods industry giant, now sourcing custard apple pulp from COFE. Additionally, COFE’s products are supplied to major ice cream companies at Rs 180 per kg.
In the face of farm distress, it’s heartening to witness women like Savita Gadre and RamshilaKudape leading a transformative collective. They are pioneers in the FPC movement, dedicated to empowering women. Their independent management of COFE’s operations, engagement with urban buyers, and a remarkable Rs 57 lakh turnover exemplify their commitment.
The FPC model empowers small farmers to unite, negotiate better prices, and procure inputs at discounted rates, reducing dependence on middlemen. Collectives enable direct market connections, value addition through processing and branding, and increased crop profitability.
India’s small farmers face disadvantages, buying inputs at retail prices and selling outputs at wholesale rates. FPCs like COFE, farmer-owned and managed, reduce middlemen interference and boost bargaining power.
FPCs hold promise in raising small-scale farmers’ incomes. The government’s Rs 6,865 crore budget allocation and supportive initiatives underline the commitment to the FPC movement. Notably, FPCs facilitate small farmers’ access to formal credit, addressing a long-standing challenge. They enable better credit terms, group loans, and improved access to agricultural resources, technology, and infrastructure.
Despite India’s surplus sugar production and consumption, farm distress persists. It’s time we reconsider our priorities and invest in FPCs like COFE, constructing an equitable food system that benefits the entire value chain.
In a world filled with challenges, stories like Savita Gadre and RamshilaKudape’s inspire hope, reminding us that solutions are within reach. The power to drive lasting change is in our hands, and I eagerly look forward to tracking the FPC movement’s evolution in India.
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