Bhubaneswar: The state government, Wednesday, asked Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) functioning in the state to bring in crop diversification which will help farmers increase their income and enhance their livelihood in a holistic way.
Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment secretary Saurabh Garg told the FPOs about crop diversification during the State Level Consultative Committee meeting for FPOs held here, Wednesday.
Odisha consists of more than 90 per cent small and marginal farmers. FPOs act as a bridge between the producer and the market and provide the producer accessibility to technology and information. It helps the farmers to plan his produce based on the market information and thereby fetching more price for their produce. Currently, there are more than 100 FPOs produced by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in Odisha.
Garg assured the FPOs that state government is ready to support them at the district and block level. He also advised the FPOs to avail all the schemes run by the government in input subsidy, farm mechanisation and procurement of crops.
FPOs from different parts of the state raised several issues, which will be resolved and a proper mechanism will be developed for better execution.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment had signed a MoU with Nabkishan Finance, a subsidiary of NABARD on setting up of a Credit Guarantee Fund (CGF) for collateral-free loan facilities to FPOs which has become a model for growing states like Tamil Nadu.