Case Studies

sectors > Farmer Collectives
Sowing Together, Growing Together
PUNJAB

Initiative:

Collective decisionmaking amongst farmers

Beneficiaries:

Farmers of 12 villages in Bathinda district, Punjab

The Challenge:

  • Lack of technical know-how about crops and usage of high doses of fertilisers and pesticides
  • Financial dependence on commission agents for credit needs
  • Absence of unity among farmers

The Solution:

  • Farmer Producer Organization(FPO) set up to bring farmers together for collective action at a larger scale
  • Crop weather advisory services through SMS were introduced
  • Portable water testing facility was enabled
  • NABARD in association with Ambuja Cement Foundation implemented a project to enhance productivity and reduce cultivation cost of major crops

The Impact:

  • Farmers’ business groups brought under the umbrella of an FPO
  • Quality agricultural inputs at lesser price
  • Professional guidance for farmers
  • Atmosphere of mutual trust among villagers
  • Considerable improvement in the agro-based livelihoods of the farming community