Page 32 - TRIF Annual Report 2021

By gaining economic strength, one’s
ability to trigger demand on other basic Foundation for Development of
services such as education, sanitation, Rural Value Chains (FDRVC)
and water among others can also be
enhanced. In our livelihood Set up in 2018, Foundation for Development of Rural
engagement, we focus on Value Chains (FDRVC) is a joint initiative of Government
demonstrating catalytic action on of India and Tata Trusts incubated by Transforming
localized livelihood opportunities in our Rural India Foundation (TRIF). FDRVC works with select
action pilot sites. In our endeavour, we State Rural Livelihood Missions and provides
work closely with the government professional expertise for their Producer Enterprises.
systems and community institutions to FDRVC’s support spans across identifying rural value
enhance access to services for farm, chain opportunities, enabling establishment of Producer
non-farm livelihoods and social Enterprises (PEs) and hand holding them through their
security schemes. businesses. FDRVC has been working with State Rural
Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) of Madhya Pradesh, Sukarmani Devi

In the year 2020-2021, our livelihood Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and
programs prioritized the needs of the Mizoram, with a reach of over 3000 villages and Vegetable seedling nursery entrepreneur,
Small and Marginal farming promoting over 20 commodities. Block- Bedo, District- Ranchi
communities and the Youth.

I was identified by the village organization and trained by
TRIF in Agri-technology and entrepreneurship. As a part
I am an Agri-entrepreneur of the program, I was given an affordable nursery of the
Focus on Small and Marginal Farming Communities running a nursery. I size 30 X 40 ft. This gave me an opportunity to start my
provide the farmers with entrepreneurial journey in the nursery business. The
TRIF works with the small and marginal participate as Value-Chain Actors (VCAs) to healthy & disease-free shopkeepers in the nearby villages sell specific brands of
seeds to farmers that can fetch the shopkeepers a high
farming communities in the intensive blocks kick start the Agriculture Production Clusters seedlings in any margin of profit irrespective of the benefit to farmers. My
and provides technical expertise for creation. TRIF has been using this approach clients are all small and marginal famers with a low risk
high-value cropping solutions, adoption of in all its intensive block pilots in Jharkhand combination or choice they appetite. They often do not want to buy a full packet of
contemporary and scientific practices, and and Madhya Pradesh. prefer… I feel very
plug-in technology gaps through market fortunate to get this seeds and sometimes also want to sow different
Fostering ecosystem enhancement to remunerate adequately or provide them solutions. TRIF has been engaged in TRIF has developed a Centre of Agriculture vegetables in their small plot of land. I provide them
via localized opportunities and life-advancement opportunities. Their promoting “Agriculture Production Clusters” Excellence in Ranchi, Jharkhand to opportunity to become an healthy & disease-free seedlings in any combination or
choice they prefer.
struggles don’t end there. As the rural
adoption of innovative methods to population, especially the youth, moves to (APC) as a deployable technology tool. This demonstrate locally relevant entrepreneur and to
create access to services and the cities, they are faced with a multitude of tool helps in identifying optimal crop-mix climate-resilient agriculture practices – motivate and be a role Also, most of the high value vegetables have to be sown
options viable for the local agro-ecological
aimed at both “subsistence farmers” and
markets. challenges ranging from poor infrastructure construct, risk-return possibilities and “commercial farmers”. Modular version of model for many other in the nursery and then transplanted, and have a
facilities, unhygienic living conditions, seasonal market demand. such a CoE is being established in other women in my village. germination period of 22 to 28 days. My nursery provides
With cities contributing to nearly two-thirds unemployment, and exploitation among intervention geographies in form of technical this service of 22 to 28 days of continued monitoring and
of the economic output of the country, every others. As part of the offering, processes have been demonstration centres. maintenance during which the farmers can supplement
year a large number of Indians migrate created that encourage local youth to their incomes with another activity. During the year
from the rural areas to cities in search of At TRIF, we believe that creation of 2020-2021, I had 55 regular farmer clients, and sold
better livelihood opportunities. Agriculture ‘local’ livelihood and economic 89,000 saplings over four cycles and earned a revenue of
is the primary source of income for 70% of opportunities has the ability to foster Rs. 50,000 and a profit of Rs. 19,000.
the rural households. However, with 82% of
the farmers falling under the category of improvement in quality of Program: Ikea Market Solutions
small and marginal farmers, the sector fails life-experience in the villages. Donor: Ikea Foundation

32 TRANSFORMING RURAL INDIA FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021 33