With the help of Vodafone Idea and Indus Tower, the Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) of India and Solidaridad have established a farmers' training and resource centre in Bundi, Rajasthan. According to a statement from SEA, the goal of establishing this centre is to facilitate technical know-hows, training, and extension support to farmers using improved technologies.
Experts and technical institutions collaborate with the resource centre to provide farmers with technical knowledge and expertise. This resource centre will serve as a hub for farmer producer organizations (FPOs) and will serve as knowledge and networking centre, as well as a platform for the skill development of FPO boards of directors, as well as staff and members of FPOs managing their business activities, market linkages, and financial linkages.
It stated that through its field demonstrations, this centre is establishing demonstration trials of good agricultural practices and women-friendly technologies, while also analysing and documenting case studies of demonstrated trials for further promotion and sharing with stakeholders about well proven sustainable technologies and practices.
Best agricultural practices and technologies are promoted in the respective programme areas based on the learning and case studies, with the coordination and facilitation of the resource centre.
Promoting Sustainability
According to the statement, SEA and Solidaridad are working together to promote sustainability in the edible oil industries through a joint mission. The goal of the SEA-Solidaridad Mustard Mission is to increase India's self-sufficiency in edible oils and to increase the productivity of oilseeds, particularly mustard seeds, in order to improve farmers' income and livelihood.
Three years ago, the Mustard Mission was launched in two districts of Rajasthan to encourage and guide smallholder farmers to increase rape-mustard production by increasing crop yield. It also focuses on land diversification from wheat rice to mustard, as well as on seed quality improvement, guaranteed prices for farmers, and improved agronomic practices.
The mission has been implemented in six districts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh this year by establishing 500 model mustard farms to increase productivity.
Through this mission, the industry is working to facilitate the learning process by establishing farmer field schools in the districts. According to the statement, such training schools strengthen the transfer of scientific and practical knowledge by providing critical sessions on good agricultural practices by certified experts and scientists from government training institutes and organizations.
