We worked with SRIJAN to set up a groundnut extension and market information service that communicates the value of participation to farmers and supports the women groups in achieving their goal of 100 MT reaching 1,000 farmers in 2021-22. In previous years, the program had procured 50 MT.
We first developed content listening carefully to the participating farmers. We partnered with Reels and Tracks for developing the films. The process of making these films also helped understand the benefits that farmers were seeking through this program. It helped to refine the pitch to the community. Why should you sell to the farmer company?
We focus on women farmers. SRIJAN also is deeply committed to women’s business collectives. This helped us see also the challenges and opportunities that are available to women to enter markets, when farm gate aggregation and community managed post harvest services are available.
A very useful set of posters and films, and an animated video emerged from this process, which can be used by a number of organisations working in post harvest.
This led us to the second phase of the intervention. A call centre was set up within the FPC. 980 farmers were reached out through a focussed campaign to inform about the benefits of participating in the community based procurement program. Many farmers called back and sought information. Price information on local mandi prices and the procurement prices of the FPC were sent to farmers. Our surveys showed that farmers were beginning to recognise the FPC number and calling back to be in touch with them.
72 MT were procured by the FPC, by reaching out to 1000 farmers through the digital initiative. The digital campaigns ran concurrent to the formation of the FPC. Shipri Producer Company was formally registered in October/November 2021. More members got to know about the fledgling FPC and its program
SRIJAN and Vriddhi are keen to take forward this initiative with the FPC as a more comprehensive end to end initiative in partnership with Arya as a post harvest partner.
