Nexus of Good: Augmenting the agriculturists

The coronavirus has impacted industrial production — both in the country and worldwide. However, even during this period, the agriculture sector did not wilt. With a large number of people in India still engaged in agriculture, it continues to be a significant source of employment and makes substantial contributions to the GDP, both directly and indirectly. There are a number of steps that have been taken by field-level civil servants to promote agriculture. One such effort was made by a District Magistrate of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, Anjaneya Kumar Singh.

Recognising the importance of agriculture, Anjaneya visualised an idea that later became known as Farmer Producers Company (FPC). The idea was fleshed out through talks with farmers, and meetings were initiated for this purpose in March 2019. The first Rampur Krishak FPC was formed in July 2020, with 10 directors, aiming to create a cluster of farmers involved in diversified farming, storage, high-value grains, local market availability, vocal-for-local, marketing and branding, self-reliance of farmers, biodiversity, and technical training. Hence, all aspects of the value chain were taken into account, with the initial focus on storage and marketing.

Approximately 1,200 meetings were held in different villages. Initially, there were only four farmer members, guided by the basic mantra of Trust, Transparency, and Togetherness (3T). Meeting the trust of farmer members and resolving their problems posed a significant challenge. As a first step, a solar-powered cold storage facility was established in collaboration with the farmer members and directors to ensure the purity and preservation of produce for an extended period. The farmers united to negotiate fair prices for their produce in the market. Subsequently, four more solar-powered cold stores were established, with a total capacity of 100 metric tonnes. This included a 12 MT mobile solar-powered cold store, which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

In addition to the above, a 50 MT silo was constructed in 2020 to enhance regular storage capacity.

Aahar se Upchaar: Several problems have arisen due to the widespread use of chemicals in agricultural food products, impacting their nutritional value. Being sensitive to the nutrition and health of children, teenage girls and women, Anjaneya initiated a campaign to raise awareness among children, teenage girls, and women about diverse farming. Thus, in November 2020, the campaign "Aahar Se Upchaar" was launched. The campaign promoted chemical-free and healthy products such as Millets, Kodo, Quinoa, Black wheat, Mushroom, Amla, Linseed, Sesame, Moringa, and encouraged their incorporation in appropriate quantities to prepare nutritious food for children. A large number of children were provided with chemical-free product kits, which were funded by the "Child Care and Protection Fund" created on the basis of voluntary donations at the district level. After using the nutrition kit for 3 months, most of the children showed improvement and achieved the desired nutritional levels. Based on these positive results, the Shambhav Abhiyan was launched at the district level in 2021, targeting 2,000 SAM children who were provided with nutrition kits. Approximately 94 per cent of these children showed improvement after consuming the nutrition kit for three months. The funding for these nutrition kits was provided by the Gram Panchayat through the 15th Finance Commission, and NAB Kisan (NABARD) also offered financial assistance to Rampur Krishak FPC for the kit preparation.

The key to any successful idea lies in its sustainability and replicability. The beauty of the initiative in Rampur is that, due to its impact, it has been continued by Anjaneya's successor. The present District Magistrate, Ravindra Kumar Mander, has taken it a step further by giving a comprehensive dimension to this innovation, naming it as an initiative of 'Samvardhan-Suposhit Rampur ek Pahal', and publicising it throughout the district. It was also deemed necessary to gain support from senior officers of the State government. Therefore, a presentation of this campaign was made before the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh. Not only did it receive unequivocal praise, but it was also suggested to implement this initiative in other districts of the state. Thus, the initiative received endorsement at the state level.

What began as an experiment in the District of Rampur is now being implemented through 22 FPCs in eight other districts of Uttar Pradesh. This initiative aims to assist malnourished children, leading to rapid and improved nutritional management and creating greater awareness of malnutrition within the community. Traditionally, malnourished children did not receive adequate nutrition from the available diet, and it took a long time to improve their nutritional levels. However, the Samvardhan-Suposhit initiative addresses these issues effectively. Furthermore, this innovation does not require additional government financing.

For their contribution to this innovation, Rampur Krishak FPC has received awards from various organisations such as ICAR Hyderabad.

What Anjaneya initiated in Rampur, which was subsequently strengthened by Ravindra and his team, serves as an excellent example of Nexus of Good. The model is already being scaled through public-private partnerships, resulting in increased income for farmers and remarkable success in nutritional management. Unlike many government programs, this initiative does not require a significant financial commitment. It is an effort to bring together rural communities and utilise existing resources to demonstrate the benefits for all stakeholders, both financially and nutritionally.

Views expressed are personal