FARMER ORGANISATIONS:Formation And Management

Dr. R P SinghAssociate Director Extension Education

New Roles for Extension

• Empowerment Role

• Community – Organizing Role

• Human Resource Development Role

• Problem solving and Education Role

Involve of the target people in planning, implementation, and maintenance as well as management of infrastructure and development programs

They can clearly articulate their needs, organize different

services like inputs, credit, implements and transport,

access different service providers and if necessary, act as

pressure groups and demand services

When the farmers unite…

What is Farmer Organization ?

Farmer organization is a group of farmers with special interests and concerns with developed structure, formal membership, status and functions for its members and with a set of byelaws and rules

Farmer organizations : Features

• Common interest• Dynamic and flexible, norms and operating

procedures• Both long and short term objectives and plan of

action• Enrolment through membership fee• Democracy through regular elections • Clear and transparent transactions• Capacity of the organization should be strong to

ensure its long term stability and sustainability• Linkages and network with other farmer

organizations • Committed leadership

Why Farmers’ Organizations?

• Farmers’ organizations influence policies and demand for required services.

• Farmers can participate in the decision making process of the developmental activities.

• Service system becomes more effective and accountable

• They get better access to latest markets and technology

• FOs can involve in Farmer and market led extension activities

Why Farmers organizations ?

• Build interactions between research, extension and farming systems

• Enable farmers to organize themselves for action or to share resources

• Analyze farmers problems with extension support

• More services can be made available to farmers through a single point

• Provide more effective learning environment

Role of Farmer organizations

• Representational role

• Technology role

• Service role

Types of Farmer Organizations

Community based, resource oriented farmer organizations

Commodity based, market oriented farmer organizations

Activities of FOs• Management of activities• Management of environment• Management of machinery• Management of fields ( Collective production )• Management of communal granaries / food

banks• Bulk purchase of inputs• Collective requests for credit• Management for selling of produce• Advice to producers• Training to farmers

Steps in Establishing Farmer Organizations

1. Understanding the village community2. Identifying potential leaders in the community3. Talking to the identified leaders and seeking

cooperation from other agencies4. Helping local leaders to call community meetings5. Nominating core group leaders to develop the FO6. Developing an organizational structure for the FO7. Developing the FO’s management through

education and action learning8. Gearing up for action9. Implementing selected projects10. Monitoring and Evaluating the FO’s progress

Participatory Action Management Planning Cycle

Understanding the situation

Identify the problems / opportunities

Developing solutions

Developing a plan

Implementation

Review and Reflect

Farmers may be organized atFour levels

• Farmers Interest Groups ( FIGs )

• Sectoral Farmers Association ( SFA )

• District Farmers Forum ( DFF )

• State Farmers Federation ( SFF )

Success of Farmer Organizations…Recognition it gets from various bodiesPolicies of GovernmentFocus on income generating activitiesAbilities of membersVisible benefits to its membersExtension officials attitude and supportParticipatory approachesLinkages with people and organizationsTie up with other development programmesInter group linkages Capacity building of farmers

How to Strengthen existing FOs

1. Understanding the village community and gaining their trust

2. Talking to leaders about why FOs are less active

3. Seeking ideas on strengthening and revitalizing community FOs

4. Encouraging local leaders to call community meetings

5. Establishing a core group of leaders to draft a proposal

6. Getting comments on and community endorsement of the strategy

Role of Extension Professionals…

Mobilization and organization role

Capacity building role

Problem solving and educating role

Business support provider role

Examples…

• KERALA initiated group approach to extension for RICE farming in 1989 and subsequently extended to other crops

• Formation of community groups to improve productivity and reduce cost of cultivation

Kerala - Group Approach• In Kerala there are around 60 farmers organizations of

varying sizes and mandate, operating in Calicut district providing extension services. These organizations are formed by the sole initiative of local village leaders without any direct involvement of formal or political leaders. All the groups are registered as per the cooperative societies act and function within the framework of by-laws. Some groups are smaller in size serving a single village while some are bigger with 300-400 members serving a cluster of villages. The bigger organizations are having a federated administrative structure with committees at district, panchayat and ward levels. The decision making power is vested with the central or executive committees which are answerable to the General body. The periodicity of core committee meetings varies from 1-2 months while that of GB is a year

• Kerala Horticultural Development Programme (KHDP) formed SHGs of vegetable and fruit growers to promote new technology and PTD skills, access to credit and strengthen their negotiation power through collective marketing

• Emerged as Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council, Kerala

• RAJASTHAN adopted the group approach to extension in 1992 and currently VEO visits village and impart training to kisan mandal farmers once in a fortnight

• HIMACHAL PRADESH is forming Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) to implement many schemes

• The Central Sector Scheme on Women in Agriculture (CSSWA) is being implemented through women SHGs promoted through this programme

VEGETABLE GROUP FARMERS’ FEDERATION State : Himachal PradeshDistrict: Shimla

Veg. FGs Veg. FGs Veg. FGs

Vegetable Production and Marketing Block Association

(25 FIGs in one block)

District Veg. Production & Marketing Federation

(working committees of all blocks)

Village/ Panchyat

Block

District

Production and Marketing groups

Services:• Technical Trainings •Credit linkage• Marketing

Working committee

(10-15 members)

3 Nos 3 Nos3

Nos

Abhyudaya Karshak Parishat, Mukkamala, EG, A.P

• Estd in 1989

• Trainings on Paddy and Coconut

• Emphasis on IPM and INM

• Farmer to farmer extension

• Productivity

• Field visits

FEDERATION OF WOMEN SHGs

Mandal Level Federation

Cluster

VOs 1 VOs 2 VOs 3..

SHGsSHGs SHGs

SHGsSHGsSHGs

SHGs SHGs

SHGsSHGs SHGs

SHGsSHGsSHGs

SHGs SHGs

SHGsSHGs SHGs

SHGsSHGsSHGs

SHGs SHGs

3-4 VOs

State: Andhra Pradesh

Services:

• Savings

• Group loans

• IG activities

•Implementation of govt. programs Executive

body

2 nos.from each SHG for VO

SHGs

• Cashew Ratna in MAHARASHTRA : Cashew growers in Ratnagiri formed into groups and marketed cashew under the name of Cashew Ratna and reaped benefits

• Commodity Based Groups – Block Level Processors Group – District level

• Grading, Packing, Marketing

ProcessorsGroup

1 2 3 4

Block Level Processors Group

District Level Cp & Farmer Orgn.

Common Godown•Grading •Packing

•Further grading •Packing •Marketing

State :MaharashtraDistrict :Ratnagiri

CASHEW RATNA

Commodity Based Groups

FIGS FIGS FIGS

Community / Commodity Based Farmers Organization

District level federation

FARMERS’ FEDERATION

State : OrissaDistrict : Khurda

Village

Block

District

Diversified Groups

Services:

• Technical Trainings

• Supply of inputs

• Marketing

Dairy

First-aid, AI

Poultry

Vaccination

Horti

Grafting

Link

Wor

ker Link W

orkerLin

k Worke

r

Raitha Mitra Yojane: Karnataka

is the new demand driven agricultural extension system of the Karnataka state. It has replaced the earlier T & V system of agricultural extension. The agricultural extension centers opened under this new programme at hobli level are called raitha samparka kendras (rsk) with the multidisciplinary approach taking the help of input agencies and NGOs

Punjab – Farmers Association for Extension Services• In Punjab the farmers associations are formed with

an objective of providing seed production, multiplication and demonstration, extension education to farming communities.

• These associations act as a forum for highlighting the problems of farming community by imparting them new technology and assistance in production.

• They also create awareness of new high yielding varieties of horticulture crops.

• It also provides for reclamation of land and organizing seminars and training camps

Conclusions…

• Sustainable organizations are must for over all development

• Extension strategies should involve FOs• Public, Private extension agencies and NGOs

should involve FOs• Govt departments should play a supporting role

in formation and management of FOs• Extension functionaries should have skills of

facilitation