The farmers will be able to download the necessary documents required to form the organizations directly from the portal. It will contain all information on the FPOs, their key activities, organizational structure and produces.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath launched the UP FPO Shakti Portal as part of the Kisan Kalyan Mission at an event in Gorakhpur on Sunday.
The portal, the first of its kind in the country, has been developed by the department of agriculture with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and is aimed at benefitting the farmers at the grassroots level. It will bring farmers, producer groups, traders and the department of agriculture and other allied departments of the state government on one platform.
Lauding the efforts of the agriculture department, the chief minister said that the department has been working tirelessly to support the farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) in the state. “UP had taken precedence in introducing various agri reforms. It has now launched the country’s first portal fully dedicated to its farmers,” he said at the portal launch event, adding that the initiative will enable farmers to expand their market base, reduce dependency on mandis and facilitate national and trans-boundary trade.
The farmers will be able to download the necessary documents required to form the organizations directly from the portal. It will contain all information on the FPOs, their key activities, organizational structure and produces.
“Each FPO will have its section that will comprise the details of its members and farmers can download UPFPO SHAKTI app on android phones for easy access. It will facilitate quicker resolution of disputes,” said a state government official, adding that the portal will enable better marketing, provide financial linkages and focused scheme support. “Farmers will get relevant information on specific subjects around one’s village/block/district or state. The information will be delivered through texts, emails or audio/video in a language that one understands,” he said.
The state currently has 576 FPOs comprising around 2.15 lakh farmers. Of these, 471 FPOs have registered themselves on the portal.
“Aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 and making the country a $5 trillion-economy by 2024, the portal will play a significant role in meeting national objectives, such as generating employment, reducing malnutrition and empowering women, among others,” an official of the agriculture department said, adding that in the second phase, all other relevant stakeholders will be brought on to the portal.
