Assam: Women-led FPO reviews achievements, charts path for agri-income growth

The Pragati Farmers Agricultural Cooperative Society Ltd., an all-women-led Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) promoted by NABARD and CML–Tata Trusts, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2024–25 at Janata Bhawan, Bondapara in the Boko–Chaygaon constituency on Thursday. Over 300 shareholders, along with government representatives and invited guests, attended the session.

Distinguished attendees included Robert H. Thouthang, Regional Director (NE Region) of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Dwijendra Mohan Barman, Deputy Director of the Spices Board of India, Rakesh Pratap Singh, Manager of Assam Grameen Vikash Bank (AGVB) Boko Branch, and Rinku Haloi, Block Program Manager of ASLRM Boko.

The AGM reviewed the society’s past-year activities, future plans for enhancing women’s participation in agri-business, and strategies for improving market linkages and capacity building. Speakers highlighted Pragati FPO’s achievements in sustainable farming, collective marketing, and value addition to local produce.

Rinku Haloi elaborated on the FPO’s operations, noting that Pragati Farmers Agricultural Cooperative Society, incorporated on 23 June 2023 under the Assam Cooperative Society Act, 2007, serves 551 active members across multiple villages in the Boko Development Block. With a paid-up capital of ₹4,87,000 and an authorised capital of ₹5,00,000, the FPO, promoted by the Centre for Microfinance & Livelihood (CML), works to enhance household incomes through diverse livelihood interventions. Pragati functions as a farmer-owned aggregator, processor, storage, and marketing entity, focusing on fair trade practices and transparent operations.

The AGM has historically provided a platform for members to review progress and set targets. Previous sessions have featured training workshops on organic cultivation, exposure visits to model farms, and buyer–seller meets connecting members with larger markets. The 2023–24 AGM emphasized expanding cold storage and introducing digital record-keeping for member transactions.

Addressing participants, Dwijendra Mohan Barman encouraged farmers to increase production of turmeric and black pepper, highlighting export potential and economic development opportunities. He promoted intercropping, organic certification under the National Programme for Organic Production, and direct buyer–seller linkages to eliminate middlemen.

Robert H. Thouthang announced an ₹850 crore investment aimed at accelerating socio-economic development across the North East, strengthening grassroots institutions, market linkages, and promoting sectoral growth in agriculture, dairy, fisheries, and allied activities. He highlighted NCDC’s role in supporting 92 FPOs in Assam and livestock development projects, including over ₹200 crore for piggery in Meghalaya.

Barman urged women farmers in South Kamrup to leverage high-value spice cultivation to increase incomes, dubbing black pepper as “black gold” and emphasizing its potential for domestic and international markets.

The FPO has received substantial institutional support to enhance its operations. CML–Tata Trusts provided ₹34 lakh for capacity building, salaries, structural strengthening, process standardisation, and market linkages. NABARD, under its PODF-ID initiative, contributed ₹11.44 lakh for registration, setup, and capacity building. The Spices Board invested around ₹8 lakh for mechanisation and agricultural inputs, while the SELCO Foundation funded solarisation of processing units with ₹7 lakh, promoting energy-efficient operations.

The meeting concluded with resolutions to diversify crops, strengthen cooperative governance, and explore new agri-based income generation avenues in the coming year.