Country’s top experts equip trainers for commercially successful FPOs in J&K

Srinagar, Nov 11: Country’s best agriculture business experts have teamed up at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir for capacity building of farmer organisations.
The top-notch FPO specialists, mobilisers, and business managers under the ageis of National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, are holding a month-long training of trainers of SKUAST-K faculty and officers of Agriculture and allied departments who will, in turn, equip human resources with the skills necessary to manage farmer organisations, including FPOs, cooperatives, Self Help Groups, CIGS, FIGs and PACs.
The ‘TOT for Capacity Building of FPOs in J&K’ is organised by the SKUAST-K’s Directorate of Research under the HADP Project 20: ‘Innovative Approaches for Promoting Agriculture in J&K’ in collaboration with the Agriculture Production Department’.
The first two batches of 72 master trainers completed their training on Friday, while as the new two batches of the similar number of commenced their training from Monday. Their program covered essential areas, including FPO formation, business planning, value chain assessment and development, supply chain management, and establishing market linkages.
Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, who was the chief guest at the valedictory-cum-inaugural function, emphasised that the trainees must work towards creating some of the top FPOs like Sahyadri Farms at Nasik, Maharashtra. He said the goal must be to have at least one such FPO in each district of J&K.
Prof Ganai noted that the UT has small land holdings, and most of the farmers are involved in less remunerative primary agriculture. Therefore, the purpose of the FPOs is to group these farmers and shift to commercial farming and secondary agriculture sustainably so that they can get the benefits of economy of scale and better market access.
Assistant Director, MANAGE Hyderabad, BV Rao; Managing Director, Maha FPC, Yogesh Thorat; Supply Chain Head, Amol Jamdada, Dr Gunvanth Birajdar, Faculty, TISS Mumbai briefed about the training. They assured that the training would be highly successful and the outcome would be the formation of the best FPOs in Jammu and Kashmir.
Various trainees, in their feedback, thanked SKUAST-K for organising such training programs. “Earlier, we thought making a successful FPO is not possible, but now, we are clear how to turn one into a successful business entity.” The participants also stressed on the follow ups where more stress would be on the development of tailor-made commodity-based business plans.