Empowering Agrarian Communities Through Sustainable Farming Practices: SEWAK’s FPO Initiative

Livelihoods & Governance

Community-Based Business Organization (CBBO)

SEWAK has been instrumental in forming and strengthening 09 FPOs in Sundargarh and Sonepur districts. These organizations, predominantly comprising small and marginal farmers, are engaged in trading vegetables, brown rice, spices, and pulses. Key highlights include:

Formation of 9 new FPOs across 2 districts.
Mobilization of 5487 farmers/shareholders.
Strengthening the capacity of Board of Directors (BOD) members.
Enhancing market linkage and fund mobilization.

Since its inception on April 1, 2021, SEWAK has embarked on an ambitious journey to revolutionize farming communities across five districts in Odisha – Sundargarh, Sonepur, Boudh, Jharsuguda, and Keonjhar. Our project is not just an initiative; it’s a movement towards empowering the landless, small, and marginal farmers who are the backbone of our agrarian society.

Extensive Area Coverage and Target Groups

We have made significant strides in 19 blocks by establishing 20 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), including one PODF FPO. These FPOs are the pillars of our endeavor, reaching out to those most in need, particularly the landless, small, and marginal farmers who are often left behind in the race towards agricultural advancement.

Our Core Objectives

Our mission is multi-faceted, aiming not only to form new FPOs but also to nurture them into self-sustaining entities. We are dedicated to:

Developing vibrant and sustainable income-oriented farming for socio-economic upliftment.
Enhancing productivity through efficient resource use and better market linkages.
Providing extensive support to new FPOs in all aspects of management, market, and credit linkages.
Offering capacity-building programs to develop agricultural entrepreneurship and ensure long-term viability.
Celebrating Our Major Achievements

The journey so far has been nothing short of remarkable:

Empowerment and Participation: We have empowered 5700 shareholders through 19 FPOs.
Financial Strength: Our FPOs have collectively raised share equity of ₹41.50 lakhs.
Economic Growth: The project has seen a turnover of ₹120 lakhs with a profit of ₹2 lakhs and facilitated ₹100 lakhs in credit linkages.
Recognition and Expansion: Our FPOs have gained recognition on platforms like ENAM and APEDA and have been chosen as CBOs under the CDP-MLIP project.
Women Empowerment: 800 women in Sundargarh & Keonjhar districts have been empowered through women-centric FPOs.
Capacity Building: Over 8000 farmers have been trained in advanced agricultural practices.
Market Reach: We have established trade links with markets in major cities, expanding our market presence significantly.

The Road Ahead

As we continue on this journey, our focus remains steadfast on elevating the standards of farming practices, enhancing the livelihoods of farmers, and making a tangible impact on the agricultural landscape of Odisha. We invite you to join us in this endeavor to transform lives and landscapes.