11 December2024, New Delhi: The CII Food and Agriculture Centre of Excellence hosted the CII FPO Summit 2024 in New Delhi, focusing on the theme “Empowering FPOs towards Building Resilient Agri Value Chains.” The event brought together an array of stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, financial experts, agritech startups, and representatives from Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), all united in their commitment to addressing the challenges faced by FPOs and exploring innovative solutions for their transformation into dynamic enterprises.
The summit served as a vital platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange, emphasizing key areas such as policy frameworks, industry partnerships, financial access, women empowerment, and technology-driven transformation. During the inaugural session, the importance of effective policy measures to support FPOs was underscored. Policymakers discussed the forthcoming National Policy on FPOs, designed to create an enabling ecosystem that focuses on the pillars of Consolidation, Capability, and Capital.
“The need for cohesive policies to facilitate the growth of existing FPOs and the formation of new ones is crucial,” stated Shri Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India. He emphasized that such policies aim to enhance farmers’ access to technology, financial services, and markets, ultimately boosting their incomes and strengthening agricultural value chains.
The summit also featured the prestigious CII FPO Excellence Awards, which recognized outstanding FPOs for their contributions to building resilient value chains. These awards highlighted best practices and success stories, serving as benchmarks for other FPOs. By honoring these trailblazers, the awards aim to enhance the credibility of winning FPOs, inspire emerging organizations, and establish role models for growth and transformation in the sector.
The awards were categorized into four key areas: Value Addition and Branding, Women Leadership, Market Linkages, and Technology Deployment. Among the winners, Gopadma Fed Farmer Producer Company Ltd from Maharashtra was recognized in the Value Addition and Branding category, while Jatara Mahila Kisan Producer Company Ltd from Madhya Pradesh took home the Women Leadership award. Ponnad Farmer Producer Company Ltd from Karnataka excelled in Market Linkage, and Khaknar Krushi Vikas Farmer Producer Company Ltd from Madhya Pradesh was honored for Technology Deployment.
The summit hosted four key technical sessions that addressed successful industry-FPO connections, financing and derisking strategies for FPOs, women-led initiatives, and partnerships between technology startups and FPOs. Approximately 150 delegates attended the event, representing FPOs from across India.
“India is at the forefront of building FPOs, serving as a model for other agriculture-driven nations to learn from,” remarked Prof. Glenn Denning, Founding Director (MPA-DP) at Columbia University. Dr. A V Bhavanishankar, Chief General Manager at NABARD, added, “Recognizing the need for region-specific strategies, the draft National FPO Policy emphasizes decentralized capacity building across 50 agricultural zones.”
Mr. S Sivakumar, Chairman of the CII National Council on Agriculture, emphasized the importance of initiatives like the ‘CII FPO Business Service Unit’ program, stating, “These awards are aimed at recognizing and encouraging Farmer Producer Companies for their excellent work in uplifting member farmers through self-sustaining business models.”
Mr. Sanjay Sacheti, Co-Chairman of the CII National Council on Agriculture, concluded with a call to action: “To achieve the $100 billion agriculture export target, value addition is key, and FPOs are crucial consolidators in this journey. With multi-stakeholder collaboration led by CII, FPOs are driving partnerships and fostering a stronger, more resilient farming community. Together, we can unlock India’s agricultural potential.”
As the summit concluded, it was clear that the collaborative efforts to empower FPOs are essential for building resilient agricultural value chains, ultimately benefiting farmers and enhancing the agricultural landscape of India.
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