About the Scheme
Central Sector scheme to form 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations for collective farming and improved agricultural income.
Target Beneficiaries: 10,000 FPOs formed successfully. 5,000 FPOs onboarded on ONDC platform. ₹18 lakh support per FPO.
Implementing Agency: Small Farmers' Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
Key Features
- Formation of 10,000 new FPOs by 2027-28, with a focus on a cluster-based approach.
- Financial assistance of up to Rs. 18.00 lakh per FPO for a period of 3 years.
- Provision for a credit guarantee facility up to Rs. 2 crore per FPO from eligible lending institutions.
- Emphasis on "One District One Product" for promoting specialization and better market linkages.
- Professional handholding support and training provided to FPOs for 5 years to ensure sustainability.
- Implemented through three agencies: Small Farmers' Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Eligibility Criteria
- Farmers willing to collectivize and form Farmer Producer Organizations.
- Existing FPOs needing support for expansion, strengthening, or diversification.
- Primarily targets small and marginal farmers who face challenges in market access and input procurement.
Benefits
- Improved bargaining power for farmers through collective marketing and aggregation of produce.
- Access to better quality inputs (seeds, fertilizers, pesticides) at competitive prices.
- Enhanced market linkages leading to better price realization for their produce.
- Reduced post-harvest losses and opportunities for value addition through processing.
- Improved access to institutional credit, technical knowledge, and modern farming practices.
Application Process
- Identification of potential clusters for FPO formation by implementing agencies and Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs).
- Mobilization and organization of farmers into FPOs by CBBOs.
- Registration of FPOs under relevant acts (e.g., Companies Act, Cooperative Societies Act).
- Preparation and submission of business plans and proposals to the respective implementing agency.
- Availing financial and technical support after approval and adherence to scheme guidelines.
Budget Allocation
60000
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper: GS3
Prelims Relevance8%
Mains Relevance9%
Syllabus Tags
Doubling Farmers' IncomeAgricultural Marketing ReformsRural Development and Poverty AlleviationCooperative Movement in IndiaAgricultural Credit and FinanceFood Processing Industry in IndiaSustainable Agriculture PracticesFarmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as a model for rural development