Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Feb 16: In a major boost to farmer collectivisation in Jammu & Kashmir, five newly formed Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) were formally provided registration certificates during a high-level Farmer Organisations Conclave hosted at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Shalimar campus.
The conclave was organised under the Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project in Jammu & Kashmir (JKCIP), an initiative supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), reaffirming the project's commitment to strengthening farmer institutions and rural entrepreneurship across the Union Territory.
Held on the second day of the AgriTech Mela (Gon'gul), the event brought together over 200 delegates, including more than 100 FPO representatives, national financial institutions, government agencies, and agri-marketing stakeholders.
A major highlight of the event was a comprehensive panel discussion featuring senior officials including representatives from NABARD, NCDC, crop insurance experts, and university leadership. Discussions focused on institutional convergence, financial inclusion, infrastructure gaps, branding frameworks, value chain development, and expanding market access for farmer collectives.
Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai emphasized the critical role of FPOs as engines of rural transformation and stressed the integration of technology and data-driven systems for ensuring fair price realization for farmers. He also directed the creation of an FPO data portal to further strengthen governance and coordination.
The interactive session allowed nearly 100 FPO CEOs and Directors to directly voice grassroots-level challenges related to credit access, value addition facilities, and market integration. Experts responded with strategic recommendations to build resilient and professionally managed farmer institutions.
The event concluded with a felicitation ceremony recognising newly formed and high-performing FPOs, including the distribution of registration certificates to five new FPOs, marking another milestone in the collectivisation drive under IFAD-funded JKCIP. |
