Training for Women Farmers

In 2014-2015, nine training programmes were organized only for women farmers as participants. The response of participants in each of these programmes was very encouraging.

Farmer Producer company (FPC)are a new way of agglomerating producers to enable them to participate in competitive markets. Producer Companies are formed as per the enactment in 2003 as per section IXA of the Indian Companies Act 1956.The producer companies are being formed in various States of the country for marketing of seeds, fertilizers, horticultural products, forest produce, local handicrafts. A successful all women farmer producer company for Aloe Vera Juice is working at Jawaja Panchayat Block, Ajmer, Rajasthan. The idea to setup a producer company was the realisation that women need to have participation and inclusion in markets. The Grameen Aloe Producer Company Limited (GAPCL) in Ajmer was supported by the United Nationas Developement Programme (UNDP) in 2009.The producer company was further supported by Aravali- a NGO working in Rajasthan through the Aga khan Foundation innovation Fund till February 2012.

CCS NIAM identified that GAPCL o needs to have a business plan and a consistent training on branding and positioning the product as a health drink to cater to the health conscious urban consumers.CCS National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM) is providing training to the women of GAPCL to provide market linkages and endeavors to handhold the women members of the Produce companies.