Comparative Analysis of Market Led Initiatives by Producer Groups in Odisha

Abstract

The study was carried out during 2013 to compare range of market-led initiatives (MLIs) pursued by 88 producer groups, covering 9 districts in the state of Odisha. Producer groups have been evolved under 5 different programs viz. Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Swarna Jayanti Sworojagar Yojana (SJSY), Orissa Tribal Empowerment Livelihoods Project (OTELP), Farmers’ Club (FC), Western Orissa Rural Livelihoods Project (WORLP). Based on the empirical observations on collective action undertaken by the producer groups, the range of MLIs has been classified into 5 categories viz. input aggregation, access resources (credit), access technology, value addition and marketing. Highest proportion of producer groups under ATMA, SGSY, OTELP, FC and WORLP had been reported to access technology (30.20%), access resources (30.00%), access resources (25.76%), marketing (30.13%) and access technology (29.04%) respectively. The project wise comparison of range of MLIs by X2 test recorded significant difference at 1% level. Thereafter, the enterprise-wise comparison of range of MLIs yielded that highest proportion of producer groups with agriculture/horticulture, livestock/fisheries, mixed system, agri-processing and others (off-farm) enterprises undertake MLIs such as input aggregation (26.21%), access technology (28.00%), input aggregation (27.72%), marketing (28.13%) and access resources (27.17%) respectively. The X2 test conducted to compare the results of enterprisewise comparison of range of MLIs resulted in significant difference at 5% level. No significant difference was observed between MLIs when compared agro-climatic zone wise. Therefore, facilitators engaged in formation, supporting and strengthening of producer groups should inherently align the purpose of group formation with that of range of MLIs undertaken, so as to accomplish the desired outcomes.