Three Farmer Producer Companies of Moga, Punjab, and the Terracotta cluster in Moga united on a shared platform. They had the honor of sharing their notable achievements with esteemed figures like Shri Padmanand, Partner Grant Thornton Bharat, Mr. Manpreet Singh Manager, and Mr. Kundan Kumar, Manager at GT Bharat, Mr Sourabh Shekhawat Consultant, Mr Sanchit Sharma, Consultant and Ms Sakshi Jain, Consultant.This collaborative gathering also provided an opportunity for them to discuss and strategize their future endeavors.
HDFC Bank Parivartan, in collaboration with GT Bharat, has achieved significant milestones with the Social and Transformative Rural Economic Empowerment Programme (STREE) Project in Punjab. This initiative has been instrumental in forming and nurturing vibrant Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), thereby transforming the agricultural landscape of the region.
The project focuses on four districts Rupnagar, Barnala, Ludhiana, and Moga to revitalize their rural economies. It has successfully registered 16 FPCs, directly impacting over 10,000 member farmers. A prime example of the project's effectiveness is the Sukhmani Women FPC in Village Nidhanwala, which has covered over 450 women farmers with the facilitation of good quality seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers at reasonable prices.
This initiative not only promotes sustainable agricultural practices but also significantly reduces cost of cultivation. The FPC's input shop also supplying cattle feed to the dairy farmers. With the supply of farm inputs, FPC also facilitates the farmers with advisory on INM and IPM Practices. This has been beneficial for the farmers to increase the yield and has also generated revenue of up to INR 25 lakh for FPC.
The introduction of innovative technologies, such as drones provided by IFFCO, has been a game-changer, reducing labor costs by about 58% and input costs by approximately 33%. Furthermore, Second FPC in Kokri Kalan, Moga has established a decentralized milk collection center which helps the women farmers to get good prices at their doorsteps.
This FPC also provided the facility of fertilizer to women farmers and cattle feed for dairy farmers. The third FPC in Bagha Purana block named Chainab Women FPC successfully show the outcomes in terms of Dairy and Mushroom Cultivations. This has been done with the collaboration of SRLM and GT. This FPC also facilitated the women farmers with Basmati Rice procurement at good prices.
Additionally, 50 terracotta artisans in Moga are currently immersed in a transformative journey of skill development and capacity building through the visionary Project CARE, orchestrated by the Small Industrial Bank of India and expertly implemented by Grant Thornton Bharat LLP. From an enlightening exposure visit in Pokhran, Rajasthan, to the insightful guidance provided by the venerable Shri Hari Om Prakash and Shri Rajesh during training sessions, a tapestry of positive changes has woven itself into the artisans' lives.
These nurturing programs have not only broadened their creative horizons but have also served as catalysts, inspiring the birth of innovative designs, and imparting a significant boost to their income.In a poignant evolution, a time that once saw women relegated to mere assistance has transformed. Now, these resilient individuals actively craft their own products and autonomously market them, embodying a journey of empowerment and self-sufficiency.