Port Blair, Mar 14: As a sequel to the initiative taken by Mr Hemant Songadkar, GM, NABARD, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Office, Port Blair, for the first time in the history of A&N Islands an awareness cum capacity building training programme on Farmers Producer Organisation is organised by NABARD, Andaman and Nicobar RO, in co-ordination with BIRD, Mangalore at Hotel Sun Sea Resort, Middle Point from Mar 14-16, 2016. The training programme is being attended by 51 participants from across Andaman & Nicobar islands comprising bankers, NGOs, Government Departments, CIARI,KVKs and farmers.
The training programme was inaugurated by Mr Anand Prakash, Chief Secretary, A& N Administration on Monday. Smt R. Menaka, Secretary (Agriculture), Dr G S Pandey, Director (Agriculture), Mr Ravinder Rao, Managing Director, A&NStCB Ltd., Dr.Kundu, Officer-in-Charge, CIARI shared the dias with the Chief Secretary. Mr Anil Kulkarni, Mr K. Somaiyajulu both DGMs and Faculty Members, BIRD, Mangalore are coordinating the training.
In his address, Mr Anand Prakash lauded the efforts of NABARD in the Islands for working for the upliftment of small and marginal farmers. He indicated that by formation of FPOs, farmers can market their produce directly and eliminate the middlemen. He appealed to the participants to take maximum advantage of this training programme and promote as many FPOs as possible.
Welcoming the gathering, Mr Hemant Songadkar, General Manager/Officer-in-Charge, NABARD, A&N RO explained the concept of Farmers Producer Organisation and of organising the training programmelike strengthening the capacity building of the participants. He has expressed happiness over the kind of support NABARD is receiving from the UT Administration in creating synergy of efforts to ensure rural prosperity in A&N islands and hoped that joint initiatives of NABARD and UT Administration like organisation of SHG Haatub ITF Ground every month will go a long way in making the platform available to FPOs also in marketing their produce.
