NABFOUNDATION’s Post

🌾 Empowering Farmers for a Sustainable Future🌾 Dear Connections, I recently had the privilege to attend a virtual training (July 24 to 26, 2024) organized by MANAGE and Central Training Institute, Kerala Agricultural University-“Farming Futures: Nurturing Extension Professionals for Empowering Farmer Organizations”. This comprehensive initiative highlighted the transformative role of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the agricultural sector. FPOs are pivotal in enhancing farmers' incomes and promoting sustainability by improving access to resources, technology, and markets. By uniting under an FPO, farmers can reduce costs, boost productivity, and secure better prices for their products. A standout moment of the program was the practical case studies, with the Mayyil Rice Producers Company in Kannur serving as a prime example of the impact well-managed FPOs can have. Inaugurated by Dr. K. C. Gummagolmath, Director of MANAGE Hyderabad, the program emphasized the vital role of extension professionals in strengthening FPOs and driving agricultural innovation. Together, we’re paving the way for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future. 🌱 Iam grateful to Dr.Dharshana S Assistant professor , Central Training Institute,KAU and Smt Jaliya M.K Assistant professor, Centre for gender studies,KAU for this opportunity #Agriculture #Sustainability #FarmerEmpowerment #FPO #Innovation #Training #RuralDevelopment

Madhya Pradesh, I feel, is a state that represents the whole country in terms of diversity in its history, society, geography, forests, agriculture, industry, tourism, landscapes, size, urban-rural continuum, ethnicity, and economy. I started my work with rural communities in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and moved all the way up to Satpuda-Pench region of Madhya Pradesh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan taking oath as Farmer's Welfare and Rural Development ministry could be a potential game changer, in my view. Having worked in the rural parts of Madhya Pradesh for over a decade, I must say, there have been significant changes in agriculture and RD sector in the state over the past 15 years. Self-Help Groups linkages to the Cluster Level Federations, mobilizing huge financial resources at the BoP, transforming the horticulture sector in the state, boosting organic agriculture, giving fresh lease of life to farmers producers companies across the state, taking initiatives for sustainable production, MP has done it all in the last decade. MP has shown immense potential for its huge tribal population through non-timber forest produce processing as well as conserving its large wildlife population especially when human-animal conflicts are rampant. Being at the center of these changes and as an able administrator, I hope the incumbent steers the whole farming and rural community into sustainable production and consumption for better wealth and health.

On 6th June we successfully concluded the Western Compact meeting in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, with productive discussions on advancing sustainable agriculture, outlining a roadmap for community development, and strategically positioning our interventions. Key discussions focused on aligning CSO's efforts with district administration priorities, scientifically verifying land use, emphasizing social capital in agricultural practices, and building farmer capacity. We highlighted the importance of promoting regenerative farming, replicating successful program models, and ensuring economic viability for agricultural initiatives. Partners from farmer organizations, the state government, private sector entities, and civil society actively engaged in fostering collaboration and championing regenerative agriculture. Presided over by District Collector of Dhar Shri Priyank Mishra, IAS, the meeting emphasized on identifying beneficiaries, ensuring programme sustainability, and setting up a system to measure success. Looking ahead, our action items include enhancing capacity building, promoting regenerative farming, addressing market challenges, conducting regular stakeholder consultations, leveraging technology, and integrating science-based interventions with traditional practices. We appreciate our partners and stakeholders for sharing the commitment to foster sustainable agriculture. #regenerativeagriculture #sustainability #sustainablelandscapes #convergence IDH, IDH India, Laudes Foundation, NABARD - National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Agriculture,Madhya Pradesh, Organic Cotton Accelerator, The Nature Conservancy, WWF-India, Action for Social Advancement (ASA), Bhopal, SRIJAN (Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action), GREEN Foundation, Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), AKRSP-India, Jan Sahas, Samarthan-Centre for Development Support, Wadhwani AI

If all progressing corporates and individuals become progressive, they can make a difference in various paradigms of sufferings and reasons for those sufferings. In India, primary education, primary healthcare, environment, agriculture especially seed which is a core input are under threat because they've been neglected. I have been associated with few CSR initiatives of some earlier organizations where I worked in. Once I was invited by Srikakulam Thermal Power Station, Polaki, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. Under CSR, they've initiated supply of drinking water, schools, agroforestry, and many more. Perhaps, I was surprised with their thoughts of creating seed security and seed systems for local farmers. I should tell you that local seed dealers started believing that we can sell even sand in seed packets. That's the level of ignorance & downtrodden attitude of Srikakulam farmers. Fortunately, my week long endeavor ended up in systematization of quality seed production & availability. Unfortunately, due to political reasons, that power plant got shelved. While working in Srinivasa Hatcheries group, our Chairman asked our CSR lead Srinivas garu for ensuring quality water and safe ecosystems in the school complex. Then, we started approaching various benefactors. To our surprise, we got so many donors and we did beyond our expectations. That's the beauty of CSR.

🥳Excited to share that my teammate Mallikarjun Honawad and I secured the First Position in the Naranpur Express simulation game, conducted at Welingkar Institute of Management! 🌱Exciting Learning Opportunity: Dive into rural life with "Naranpur Express," IRMA's flagship management simulation game, led by Preeti Priya , Professor at IRMA (Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA)🌱 Overview: Naranpur Express, born from fieldwork in Gujarat's Naranpur village, immerses you in rural decision-making. Focus: small and marginal farmers' challenges. The Game: Teams of two run households in Naranpur, making 5 years of crucial decisions - crop choices, resource management, and weather uncertainties. Can you thrive while caring for family and livestock? Objectives: 1. Spotlight small farmer decision-making. 2. Simulate large farmer choices' impact. 3. Foster empathy for rural challenges. Key Takeaways: 1. Insights into crop, livestock, households, markets, policies, and climate. 2. Grasp market dynamics under varying production. 3. Escape debt traps with innovative solutions. 4. Understand rural livelihood intricacies. Naranpur Express isn't just a game; it's an immersive rural learning experience. Lessons learned bridge urban-rural gaps and promote sustainable rural development. #NaranpurExpress #RuralManagement #EmpathyForFarmers #BusinessSimulation #IRMA #LearningThroughSimulation #RuralEconomy

WHEELS Affordable Zero-energy Cold-Storage Solution for Small Farmers – Now for Rural Households as well ! In India, nearly 30% of all fruits and vegetables produced are lost, with two-thirds of this waste occurring at the farm level. This significant loss is primarily due to the high cost and limited accessibility of storage technologies for farmers. Recognizing this challenge, WHEELS Global Foundation (Pan IIT alumni global giving back platform) decided to support RuKart, a startup founded by four IIT Bombay alumni in 2019, has developed the Subjee Cooler, an affordable, recurring-cost-free, and eco-friendly storage solution. The Subjee Cooler operates without electricity, solar power, or diesel, relying instead on just 20 liters of water per day. This innovative technology aims to bridge the gap in storage solutions at the farm level, contributing to poverty eradication (SDG 1), affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), and economic growth (SDG 8). This energy solution from partner RuKart continues to expand from serving rural farmer-retailer to every rural household – a very affordable zero-energy cold storage solution to give 5-7 days of life for daily-use items such as milk, vegetables, fruits. They will not have to worry about extensive power cuts spoiling their food, while saving money and the environment. To Know More https://lnkd.in/dYk_2_ry #WHEELS #ColdStorageSolution #SmallFarmers #RuralHouseholds #IndiaAgriculture #FoodWasteReduction #SustainableFarming #EcoFriendly #SubjeeCooler #RuKart #IITBombay #ZeroEnergy #PovertyEradication #CleanEnergy #EconomicGrowth #SDG1 #SDG7 #SDG8 #FoodPreservation #FarmersSupport #RuralDevelopment #SustainableDevelopment Indrajit Chatterjee MIET Raghuraman (Raghu) Chandrasekaran Dr. Rahul Walawalkar Ratan Agarwal PanIIT Alumni India PanIIT Alumni Foundation PANIIT USA Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay Dr. Raghavan (Ram) Ramanan Mahendra Shukla  

India is an agrarian country, with 70% of its population dependent on agriculture. As the nation aspires to become a 5 trillion-dollar economic powerhouse, the contribution of our farmer community will be equally significant. Recognizing the need of the hour, it is essential to bring about a transformative change in agriculture. With this in mind, Kan Biosys has launched an innovative campaign aimed at educating the future generation about the importance of soil quality, fertility, and the preservation of biodiversity. This initiative has reached out to more than 1,500 students from grades 7 to 9 across over 10 schools in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana. The students have been provided with guidance on organic farming, along with the distribution of educational booklets on organic farming and essential school supplies. This campaign will continue for a week, striving to reach as many students as possible. The unique concept of this initiative is being implemented under the guidance of Kan Biosys' Managing Director, Sandeepa Kanitkar, Vice President of Marketing and Human Resources, Dr. Prashant Pawar, and Vice President of Sales, Mr. Rahul Parkhi. Sandeepa Kanitkar | Dr.Prashant Pawar | Rahul Parkhi | Madhav Kulkarni | Sagar Atul Shah #independenceday #futuregenerations #soilhealth #empoweringyouth #organicfarming #teamkanbiosys #LifeAtKanBiosys #kanbiosys #khetikijaan #agriculture #indianfarmer #maharashtrafarmer

Training villagers to measure change: How tech + community are transforming rural India 💧📲 W-CReS teamed up with the Rotary Club of Poona to train locals in Akole and Ambegaon on using ODK (Open Data Kit) to assess the impact of  'A Rural Watershed and Natural Resources Development Project' in Akole (Ahmednagar district) and Ambegaon block (Pune district). Local field enumerators were chosen from the community who will play an important role in conducting impact evaluations of various interventions undertaken in the project region. Using ODK, the following benefits will be realised: -- Easier Impact assessments – Now villagers can track project results on water management, Adoption of #sustainable farming practices, and more.  -- The power of local knowledge – Community members gather the data, bringing real-world insights. -- Data-driven progress – Better #evaluation = better programs = greater impact! 📈 With the successful conclusion of this training, the team is now well-equipped to undertake the pivotal task of evaluating the project's impact. The enhanced clarity and confidence gained by the participants in data collection processes will ensure a robust and insightful evaluation process moving forward. Huge thanks to our trainers Nikhil Nikam and Pavan Khadse, and 12 amazing participants for making this happen in Manik Ojhar village! 👇👇👇 When you engage with our posts, you're not just showing support - you're amplifying our voice! 📢 Every like, share, and comment helps our message reach more people who care, helping us tackle rural poverty at its very core 🌳 👍 Like if you support our cause, 💬 Comment to share your thoughts, 🔄 Share to spread the word! #RuralDevelopment #DataCollection #CommunityEngagement #TrainingSession #ImpactEvaluation #WOTR4Development #WOTRat30 Prashant Kalaskar

India is an agrarian country, with 70% of its population dependent on agriculture. As the nation aspires to become a 5 trillion-dollar economic powerhouse, the contribution of our farmer community will be equally significant. Recognizing the need of the hour, it is essential to bring about a transformative change in agriculture. With this in mind, Kan Biosys has launched an innovative campaign aimed at educating the future generation about the importance of soil quality, fertility, and the preservation of biodiversity. This initiative has reached out to more than 1,500 students from grades 7 to 9 across over 10 schools in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana. The students have been provided with guidance on organic farming, along with the distribution of educational booklets on organic farming and essential school supplies. This campaign will continue for a week, striving to reach as many students as possible. The unique concept of this initiative is being implemented under the guidance of Kan Biosys' Managing Director, Sandeepa Kanitkar, Vice President of Marketing and Human Resources, Dr. Prashant Pawar, and Vice President of Sales, Mr. Rahul Parkhi. Sandeepa Kanitkar | Dr.Prashant Pawar | Rahul Parkhi | Madhav Kulkarni | Sagar Atul Shah #independenceday #futuregenerations #soilhealth #empoweringyouth #organicfarming #teamkanbiosys #LifeAtKanBiosys #kanbiosys  #khetikijaan #agriculture #indianfarmer #maharashtrafarmer

🌾 Exciting News! Our latest research article, "Unveiling the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Western Uttar Pradesh, India: The Farmers’ Perspective," has just been published in the Journal of Global Innovations in Agricultural Sciences! (Scopus Indexed)📚 👥 Authors: Roop Kumar, Sharad Sachan, Rohit Kumar, Kshitij Parmar, Amit Kumar Mishra, Atin Kumar and Anand Kumar Mishra 📊 Key Findings: Our study, examining information utilization in agricultural practices among 200 farmers in Western Uttar Pradesh, brings to light compelling insights: A noteworthy 56.5% of participants rely on radio broadcasts, a preferred medium for those with weaker literacy skills. The age group of 35-50 demonstrates the highest engagement in utilizing agricultural information, while younger farmers exhibit a preference for online resources. Surprisingly, there is minimal correlation between farming experience and the adoption of agriculture helplines. However, a clear association emerges between higher income levels and increased utilization of both radio and online services in the agricultural sector. 🌱 Implications: These findings underscore the pressing need for extension service workers to receive training in contemporary Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Equipping them with these skills will enhance their ability to effectively support agricultural communities. Uttaranchal University Dr Rohit Kumar School of Agriculture (SOA), Uttaranchal University, Dehradun 🚜 Join the conversation and read the full article! Let's propel agricultural innovation forward! 🌍 #agriculturalinnovation #technology #future #careers #university #agricultureandfarming #agriculture #schoolofagriculture #uttaranchaluniversity #ict #researchpublication #farmers #india #economy #motivation #education #productivity #scopus #newarticle #farming #skills #extension