Farming Together in Odisha 

Thursday, February 14,  2019
Guptapada, Odisha

Four farmers’ groups were formed in Odisha during agriculture program officer Sreeni KR’s visit last week. Named ‘Amrita Krushek Sangha,’ the villages of Guptapada, Barapita, Bindhyagiri and Haridamada made their own groups in order to get the benefits and support of farming together.

The farmers’ group goals:
1. Official registration and a collective bank account.
2. Availability of government schemes.
3. Increased profit margin through collective cultivation.
4. Transition to organic farming on a portion of the land.

Sreeni KR says that for example, in Bindhyagiri, 13 farmers are holding 35 acres of land, while in Haridamada village, 30 farmers are cultivating around 70 acres of land. The farmers’ group is run by the farmers themselves. In mutual understanding, the members select the president, secretary and the treasurer to take care of the practical issues during their meetings. Village coordinator Ashit Patnaik is supporting the farmers‘ groups in the beginning stages.