Jaivagramam Project to set up Common Facilitation Centres using farmers’ clusters

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The Jaivagramam Project plans to set up an integrated network of Common Facilitation Centres (CFC) and farmers’ clusters across Kerala as part of the project’s second phase. It is an innovative farming initiative launched by NGOs in the State with support from Professional Services Innovation and Grassroots Impact Foundation.

The second phase of the project was launched along with a farmers’ summit in Kochi, which was attended by 600 selected farmers from across the State.

Ananthu Krishnan Chief Coordinator of the Jaivagramam Project, said forming CFCs and clusters will be the main focus during the project’s second phase. The Jaivagramam project aims to develop a seamless network of the entire agricultural value chain linking farms to the end consumer. NGOs dedicated to the farming sector will be the main implementing agencies. A group of 50-100 farmers will be under an NGO and each of them will be further integrated into a cluster. A common CFC will be developed to address the requirements of the clusters.

The project will provide seeds, planting materials, organic fertilizers, and insecticides at 50 per cent of actual costs to farmers. Collecting products and marketing them through the NGO networks, as well as training sessions for developing value-added products, are other works to be undertaken as part of the project. A detailed survey of the problems faced by farmers and region-specific farming practices and products will also be undertaken with the assistance of Social Work Groups based in colleges.

Professional Services Innovation, a consultancy services agency working on behalf of NGOs, spearheaded the first phase of the project in Idukki. Based on the experience, it was decided to extend the project to all 14 districts in the State. State Agriculture Minister P Prasad formally inaugurated the project on May 22, 2024.

The Jaivagramam Project has already initiated steps to access incentives for setting up Common Facilitation Centres from the Union Ministries of Food Processing and Small and Micro Enterprises, as well as incentives provided by the Union and State government agencies for the food processing sector and promotion of agro-enterprises.

The NGOs working as implementing agencies will facilitate farmers in gaining knowledge about the latest developments in the farming sector, policy initiatives, and marketing opportunities. The cluster network will also be used for CFCs, collecting farm products, and marketing them to end consumers. The entire process will be connected through an online portal.

The project has provided planting materials, agricultural implements, machinery, and organic fertilizers at 50 per cent of the normal rates to 18,000 farmers in the State.