Bayer in pact with Samunnati to enhance farmer productivity and profitability
Bayer, a global enterprise with competencies in the life science fields of healthcare and agriculture, has partnered with Samunnati, an agri value chain enabler company, to empower FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations) with access to quality agri-inputs and transfer of good agricultural practices to enhance rural livelihoods and farm incomes.
Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Bayer and Samunnati aim to provide Indian farmers with access to quality agri-inputs through FPO agri-input retail stores. As part of the association, FPO farmers will be able to leverage the strength of collectivisation, facilitating farmers with ample opportunities to become key stakeholders in the agri value chain.
A media statement said Samunnati will support in aggregating demand from the FPOs, while Bayer will, once purchase orders are placed by FPOs, fulfill the orders through their distributors, ensure timely and efficient delivery of customised products and solutions. To facilitate easy access to quality inputs, agronomic support, and encourage agri-technology knowledge transfer, Bayer will leverage its field force to actively engage with farmers in the field, thereby supporting the FPOs to build a successful business model, it said.
Supporting farmers
Quoting Mohan Babu, Chief Operating Officer of Bayer Crop Science India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the statement said: “FPOs have come a long way in India to become successful entities supporting farmers with aggregating input demand and produce supply. We are glad to join forces with Samunnati who bring in their vast network of FPOs and enable credit to kick-start the FPOs input business, so that their farmers can benefit from Bayer’s high-quality products and agronomy knowledge.”
Anil Kumar SG, Founder and CEO of Samunnati, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Bayer Crop Science to further empower FPOs by improving access to quality inputs and agronomic expertise. This collaboration strengthens Samunnati’s mission to create a resilient agricultural ecosystem that enables smallholder farmers to thrive, improving both their productivity and profitability. By combining Bayer’s expertise in high-quality inputs with Samunnati’s deep-rooted connections in the farming community, we are offering a holistic solution that addresses the key challenges faced by farmers today.”