IIT Mandi receives funding from NABARD to set up farm producer bodies

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology Mandi along with the Enabling Women of Kamand (EWOK) Society of IIT Mandi will receive Rs.35 lakhs in an agreement with the National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development (NABARD) to set up Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.

An FPO is a group of farm producers, with members as shareholders in an organisation. It is meant to help improve farmer incomes by helping them get better access to quality input, technology, credit and better marketing access through economies of scale.

Nilay Kapoor, chief general manager, NABARD, said, “The Regional Office proposes to sign a tri-partite agreement involving NABARD, EWOK and IIT, Mandi for developing farmer-friendly equipments. In addition, opportunities will be explored for collaboration in areas like Internet of Things in agriculture, watershed, rural mart etc.”

The FPOs are supposed to be set up in the next three years. The insttiute and EWOK will also create awareness among farmers, train the chief executive officer and board of directors of the FPOs and assist FPOs in raising credit/ bank loans.

Speaking about the role of EWOK Society, Sandhya Menon, secretary, EWOK Society, said, “EWOK will play its role to form FPOs and guide in building out the FPO business activity and market linkages.”

EWOK is an initiative of IIT Mandi Women’s Center to help rural women set up small enterprises in 5 panchayats of Kamand, Kataula, Katindhi, Batheri and Navlaya in Mandi district by providing them guidance, training and information. It has supported 12 women entrepreneurs of the Kamand region, said the institute.