FSC, Piler

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Farmer Service Center, Piler

Name of the Project: “Establishment of Farmer Service Centre in Piler Mandal, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh”

Project Period: July 2018 to June 2021

Backdrop

APMAS has been partnering with Aurobindo Pharma Foundation for undertaking human and infrastructure development initiatives and to transform villages into models for the past two years in Borapatla and Peyyalapalem villages. In continuation to ongoing activities, based on the requirement of farmers in the villages, APMAS has undertaken a feasibility assessment for establishing a Farmer Service Centre in Piler. Based on the assessment, it was proposed to establish a Farmer Service Centre (FSC) to support the farmers in Piler and its neighbouring mandals.

It is in this context, Aurobindo Pharma Foundation, the financing partner has agreed to provide Grant to APMAS to facilitate establishment of a Farmer Service Centre in Piler. The project period is initially for one year from July 2018 to June 2019 and during the course of the implementation, the detailed proposal will be developed for two more years and submitted to Aurobindo Pharma Foundation for approval.

APMAS has studied and analyzed the interventions required for establishing sustainable farmer service centre so as to offer wide range of services to farming communities in and around Piler, which is a strategic central location in Chittoor district of AP.

The objectives of the Farmer Service Centre are:

1. Provide services for productivity enhancement
2. Provide information, communication and knowledge services
3. Provide value addition and marketing services

The Progress so far

Held meetings with Horticulture, Agriculture and Marketing Commissioners on the intervention and the Marketing Commissioner provided a place at the Piler Agriculture Market committee yard to establish a Farm Service Centre.
Made field visits to KV Palle, Piler and Kalikiri mandals, conducted focus group discussions with farmers and identified problems and needs of the farmers.
Collected data of existing farmer institutions promoted by different institutions [POPIs].
Built rapport with AMC, KVK, Horticulture, Agriculture, IKP and NGO staff and garnered their support for effective implementation of the project.
Established office for Farm Service Centre at APMC-Piler.
Developed training materials on FPO structure, nursery management, value addition and marketing.
Orientation was given to promoters on the importance of Farmers Producer Company, registration, objectives of the company, role of the Board of the Directors.
An action-research study has been conducted to assess the need of veterinary services in Piler and near-by mandals.
Selected 12 Key farmers from Kalikiri, KV Palle and Piler to promote the interventions as planned.
Submitted documents in November 2018 for the registration under Companies Act and the registration certificate was received on 6 December 2018 along with TAN and PAN. GST was received on 12 February 2019. Applied for fertilizer license and other licenses will be applied soon.
Entered into MoU with E-Fresh to develop and create a compendium of services for the Farmer Service Centre (FSC) at Piler. E-Fresh team visited the FSC and made a presentation to the farmers about their services.
“Raithu Siri”, the mobile van was launched by Mr. Nithyananda Reddy, Aurobindo Pharma Foundation on 24th November 2018 in collaboration with E-fresh, to provide agriculture and veterinary services in the 3 mandals of KV Palle, Piler and Kalikiri. Services of a local Veterinary doctor and an agriculture expert are engaged in this endeavour to serve the farmers through regular scheduled visits to all the villages.
Provided SIRA forage fodder seeds to farmers for field demonstration in Agraharam, Kalikiri and Talapula Mandals.
Held first Board Meeting of Piler Farmers Producers Company limited on 7 Dec’ 2018.
Opened Bank account at Sapthagiri Grameena Bank- Piler for Piler Farmers Producer Company Limited.