Abstract
Farmer Producer Groups (FPGs) have emerged as a possible solution to many of the problems faced by the Indian agriculture sector. The plight of small and marginal tribal farmers is aggravated by the weak marketing system: lack of quality input and technical services. The situation can be improved through collectivization when grouped and trained effectively, farmers can achieve enormous growth goals, finally making the group selfreliant and self-sufficient. The study focused on identifying the constraints faced by members of FPGs and possible suggestions for the tribal farmers of Seethampeta block of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. The study included 145 members, selected through a multi-stage proportionate random sampling method from three villages with the highest number of FPGs and members. Data collection was done through personal interview method and the respondents were provided with open-ended questions for listing out the constraints faced by them and suggestions for improving the effectiveness of FPGs. The constraints listed were then grouped into economic, marketing, organizational, technical and socio-cultural constraints. The collected data were analyzed using frequency and percentage. The ranking was given based on the percentage for easy identification of the major and minor constraints faced by the tribal farmers of FPGs under study.
Highlights
The need of the hour in the present era of globalization and trade liberalization is to reshape the mere producer of agricultural products into the producer and seller of the product by developing rural entrepreneurship through the concept of collectivization or group initiation through the local level organisation
Constraints faced by the members of tribal Farmer Producer Groups (FPGs)
The constraints faced by the members of tribal FPGs are listed out during the survey and are grouped into different categories based on their similarities
Summary
The need of the hour in the present era of globalization and trade liberalization is to reshape the mere producer of agricultural products into the producer and seller of the product by developing rural entrepreneurship through the concept of collectivization or group initiation through the local level organisation. A viable technology transfer mechanism is required to promote sustainability in food production and marketing for income generation. To double the farmers’ income, a collective approach with enhanced technology, practices, processing, marketing, and entrepreneurial development is required. Collective strategy can be used to overcome the challenges faced by small and marginal farmers and to empower them by providing access to quality input, technical assistance, and a platform to directly market their. The creation of countervailing power, access to capital markets on favorable terms, risk management, and income improvements are other major reasons for establishing farmers’ organizations (Datta, 2004). Farmer organizations can increase the access of small producers to new technology, market information and business services in rural areas that contribute to productivity, growth, intensification and commercialization of smallholder agriculture, thereby increasing their incomes (Shiferaw et al, 2016). Farmer organizations can increase the access of small producers to new technology, market information and business services in rural areas that contribute to productivity, growth, intensification and commercialization of smallholder agriculture, thereby increasing their incomes (Shiferaw et al, 2016). Gill and Prasad (2009) stated that whatsoever information reaches to small farmers is often not backed by scientifically proven results in different farming situations prevailing in Indian sub-continent
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