FARMER PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS ( FPOs)
The concept of ‘Farmer Producer Organizations, (FPO)’ consists of collectivization of Producers especially small and marginal farmers so as to form an effective alliance to collectively address many challenges of agriculture such as improved access to investment, technology, inputs and markets. Department of Agriculture and Cooperation under Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India has identified ‘Farmer Producer Organizations ‘registered under the special provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 as the most appropriate Institutional form around which the mobilization of farmers is to be made for building their capacity to collectively leverage their production and marketing strength. The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (MoA) has setup ‘Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium’ (SFAC), a society under DAC, as designated Agency to act as a single window for Technical support, Training needs, Research and Knowledge management and to create linkages to investment, Technology and Markets. SFAC provides all round support to State Governments FPOs and other entities engaged in promotion and development of FPOs.
The Centre for Advance Research And Development, (CARD), has been actively involved with around fifty thousand farming households on farming system based livelihoods since a decade and has notable presence in around ten districts of Madhya Pradesh and three districts of Chhattisgarh. CARD was working with the common interest groups/ federations of the farmers till 2014, when CARD consciously decided to approach SFAC for support and was sanctioned four FPOs; 2 each in Mandla and Dhar districts. This was the turning movement for CARD and we started the FPO formation process across all locations. We have already formed two FPOs in Ghughri and Anjania blocks of Mandla District namely ‘Bal Ganga Farmer Producer Company Ltd.’ At Ghughri and ‘ Sankta Mukta Kissan Producer Company Ltd.’ At Anjania. Both of these Companies have been incorporated under the Companies Act with the Registrar of Companies, Gwalior on 30th March 2015 and 13 April, 2015 respectively. The two companies to be constituted under SFAC in Western Region are in the process of their respective incorporation and expected to attain the same, shortly.
In this context UNICEF, NYHO and GIZ have entered into a partnership with a view to support a few countries to roll out the Fit for School approach. India is one of the countries selected for this purpose. The approach focuses on simple and scalable model where by children participate habitually in group hand washing with soap and benefit from biannual deworming in pre and elementary school as part of a comprehensive integrated school health package.
The Organization further joined hands with ‘Mahila Kissan Sashktikaran Programme (MKSP) and helped in constituting two more Companies namely ‘Mahishmati farmer Producer Company Limited at Village Silgi and ‘Mahima Farmer Producer Company Ltd.’ At village Baniyatara, Post Semarkhapa of Mandla. The formation of two more Companies under MKSP at village Ghughari in Mandla and one Company in Dindori is expected to get their incorporation shortly. Similarly CARD is in the process of forming 3 companies in Ujjain, one in Dewas, Agar and Jhabua each, and two additional companies in Dhar. CARD proposes to have 20 FPOs under its umbrella by 2020.