Page 19 - Reliance Foundation Annual Report 2021-22

Fighting

information

asymmetry

Banas Farmer Producer
Company (FPC) – a cumin

revolution

Radhanpur in Gujarat’s Patan District is renowned for
its high-quality cumin, reputed to be among the best in
India. The district is also home to Unjha, Asia’s largest
spice market. However, the local farmers who grow the
cumin rarely benefited from this status, even though
they lived barely 100 km away from the market. Their
challenge was that they were smallholders with an
average production of 500-600 kg per farmer, whereas
the minimum transport volume needed for a truck
was 1,000 kg. Reliance Foundation’s advisories reach communities
through mobile services, social media platforms,
The farmers turned to the Banas Farmer Producer audio/video conferences, television, radio and toll-free
Company for support. The cooperative brings together helplines. Reliance Foundation works with over 1,000
over 4,000 farmers, helping them aggregate their partners to source accurate and relevant information
produce and sell bulk volumes to national markets and and disseminate it across the country. This information
major corporate houses for a higher price. The FPC is disseminated in 10 Indian languages and reaches
began a new initiative to train the farmers of Banas to 11.4 million individuals in over 45,400 villages across
grow cumin with low pesticide residue, which would 19 states and two Union Territories.
be more lucrative. It tied up with key market players to
train farmers in Integrated Pest Management for this In FY21-22, Reliance Foundation addressed nearly
new form of cumin, which earned 15-20% higher prices 2.8 lakh queries on weather forecasts, government
over the normal variety. It then aggregated the produce schemes and crop and livestock management, and
to boost the farmers’ revenue. In FY20-21, the FPC also conducted offline livestock camps to diagnose and
shared dividends of Rs. 3 lakh among its members, treat over 2 lakh animals providing essential veterinary
setting an inspiring example for other smallholder services besides giving farmers free medicines and
farmers across the country. counselling for improved livestock health.

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