Category : Government
Our Club organised a half-day workshop where farmers met up with experts from the Government to understand where and how we can use Government schemes, funds, subsidies that are meant to give a boost to agriculture in the state.
Mr. Mahambare, Amancio Fernandes, Orlando Rodrigues, Vishram Gaonkar, Mr. Hoble and Mr. Joshi
An overview of Government Schemes was provided by our Zonal Agricultural Officer, Mr. Hoble. His presentation can be viewed here.
Mr. Vishram Gaonkar from the ICAR, provided insights on growing and caring for mango trees. His presentation provides more details.
Amanciao Fernandes from the Dpt. of Agriculture highlighted the importance of the Jalakunda Scheme and how it could be relevant for farmers with hilly tracts of land.
Orlando Rodrigues from the Horticulture Corporation of Goa outlined schemes from the Corporation that farmers growing vegetables could use.
Premanand Mahamabre felicitated by Ministry of Agriculture
Premanand Mahambare, the current President of our Club was among the 101 small and marginal farmers felicitated at the hands of the Union Minister for Agriculture, Shri Sharad Pawar, on the 26th of February 2010.
The Ministry of Agriculture has brought out a coffee table book titled “Harvest of Hope” that documents the role of small and marginal farmers in keeping the wheels of agriculture turning in India. 101 farmers from across the length and breadth of the country were identified and felicitated by the Minister at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi.
Needless to say, the Club is proud of his achievements.
Read the official press release about the event here.
And more about the book and event here.
On the 19th of January members of the Chorao Farmers Club participated in the taluka-level Krishi Mela organised by the Department of Agriculture at Ela, Old Goa.
Chorao Farmers Club stall at the Tiswadi Krishi Mela - Ela
This was an interesting opportunity for us to showcase our work and also directly sell produce to other farmers and residents from the taluka.
Thanks to the Department for organising an interactive session where we could address our concerns directly to the Directors of relevant departments, the ZAO and Ministers present (unfortunately, the Agriculture Minister was not present).
Farmers participating in the Q & A Sesion organised by the Department
We think such forums are an important space for farmers to raise issues of concern directly with authoroties. We hope the Department makes this an annual affair AND takes action on issues discussed.
Officers from the ZAO had planned to inspect damaged crops and fields on the 1st of December, after coordinating time and date with the Village Talathi (Mr. Kedar Bhandari).
During the inspection farmers are expected to be present so that the officers can be taken to the fields in question. The Talathi put up a notice on the Village Panchayat bulletin board announcing the date and time. The Farmers Club informed the relevant members about the date.
Talathi's announcement on the Village Panchayat bulletin board and a gathering of farmers awaiting the Zonal Agricultural Officers at the appointed date and time for the inspection to commence
Besides the 22 farmers that submitted applications through the Farmers Club, the Mamlatdar bunched another 35 applications that were received individually, for inspection as well. All these applications were forwarded to the ZAO.
With a total of 57 applicants to deal with, a route was planned that made visiting the fields easy.
Collectively, a logical route is decided upon and everyone sets out for the inspection (by car, motorbikes, bicycles on foot....)
Each individual farmer was asked a few key questions (amount and variety of seed planted). Plots close to the roads were visually inspected, those with no accessible road were not. Yet, each applicant’s complaint was dealt with.
Next Steps
The ZAO will now compile a technical report with recommendations that will be sent off to the Mamlatdar. The Mamlatdar will eventually make the decision and the funds will be disbursed through him.
Stay tuned for progress on the matter.
Applying for compensation is usually looked upon as a complicated waste of time. Not without reason. Last year, several members from our Club applied for compensation when we had untimely rains that damaged the cashew crop. We never heard back from the various departments concerned.
Sample Letter of Complaint and Form 1 & 14
This year also we have applied for compensation due to untimely/heavy rains, which damaged our crops twice this year. The first time it happened in the last week of September and then recently Cyclone Phyan (on the 14-15 of November) ruined our harvested crops. Several farmers were affected at each instance.
For the September incident, several farmers submitted forms individually and are still to hear form the government departments.
For the November incident, 22 farmers got together and decided to use the Farmers Club as a platform to push the departments to act swiftly.
A standard letter was designed, leaving space for each farmer to provide his/her details (see sample above) and attach respective Forms 1 & 14 and NOCs (as needed). Each farmer filled out two such letters and sent them out collectively, one each, to the Mamlatdar and to the Zonal Agricultural Officer (ZAO). The Club also wrote a covering letter requesting the Mamlatdar and the ZAO to look into this matter urgently, which concerned residents of our village.
We also provided prints of the photos documenting the damage and about 6-8 of us, along with a TERI representative met the Mamlatdar and requested him to urgently send the necessary officers for the inspections.
We will follow the process and report back on how long it took for us to actually get the promised compensation. Stay tuned.
Here are some frequently asked questions about Farmers’ Clubs.
What is a Farmers’ club?
A Farmers’ Club is an informal group of practicing farmers (or even farmers wanting to re-start agriculture) who get together and collaborate for the purpose of pursuing agriculture-related objectives.
Usually, one Farmers Club is encouraged per village.
What is NABARD’s Farmers Club program for?
NABARD has a Farmers Club program under which farmers’ clubs are eligible for financial assistance in terms of loans and grants to help meet the objectives of the club.
Who can form a Farmers’ Club?
Anyone who is involved in agricultural/horticultural activities.
Even if you have discontinued farming, but you want to restart you can form a Club
It does not matter whether you own land or are a tenant or a landless farmer, you can still form or be a part of a Farmers Club
How to go about forming one?
It’s actually quite simple. To begin with you need to get a few like-minded farmers who are willing to take a lead on the Club’s activities together (others will follow when they see the benefits from being in a Club. Don’t worry, even if you’re just five in number, go ahead and form the club anyway!)
Steps in forming a club
- Find a few farmers who will be interested in forming the Club.
- Contact the Branch manager of your local bank (nationalised or private bank) and speak to him about your wanting to start a Club. Invite him to attend your first meeting. You need to be associated with a bank as the financial assistance made available by NABARD through the scheme, will be routed through the bank you’re linked to.
- At your first meeting, pass a resolution saying that you intend on forming a Farmers Club, providing the names of the members, your village name and the bank with which you club will eventually open an account. You will also need to provide names of a Chief Coordinator and an Associate coordinator for your club.
- NABARD also requires you to provide basic information about your village. Use this form to gather up this information.
- Once you have this information, submit it to your chosen bank. In a covering letter requesting the branch manager forward your application to NABARD. Include the following with your covering letter:
Minutes from your first meeting
The Resolution passed by your Club
List of members
Village details
- The Branch manager will forward this for final approval to NABARD.
- After NABARD’s approval, the Club can open an account in its name at your chosen bank.
- NABARD then encourages the Club to organise an official Inauguration Ceremony for the club where interesting and relevant speakers may be invited to address, motivate and provide ideas to the club. The Club can also take this opportunity to invite speakers from relevant government departments like the Dpt. Of Agriculture, ICAR/KVK, Dpt of Fishiries, Animal Husbandry etc…. They can tell the Club about various government schemes that are available to farmers etc…
- Thereafter, the club needs to meet once a month (minimum), plan for the kinds of activities it wants to undertake and make steady progress towards achieving their stated objectives.
What paper-work needs to be done to form a Club?
There are some very basic requirements in terms of paper-work.
- Minutes from your first meeting
- The Resolution you passed stating that your group of farmers wants to form a Farmers Club and avail of the benefits under the Farmers Club Scheme.
- List of members (you can always add to the membership list, this is in now way a final list).
- Details about your village as required by this form.
- Names of Chief Coordinator and Associate Coordinator (they need to be members as well)
What are the financial benefits of forming a Club?
- Avail of up to Rs. 10,000 a year (for 3 years) in administrative costs for Club’s activities as below:
Inauguration assistance of Rs. 5,000
Annual maintenance/administrative support up to Rs. 3,000 for 3 years
Rs. 1,250 per workshop for four “Meet-the-Experts” Workshops spread over a period of 3 years.
- Avail of credit from banks for various entrepreneurial activities undertaken by the club
- If the Club is registered under the Societies Act, it is eligible for various group-subsidies from the Dpt. Of Agriculture etc…
