Tanager, a global NGO dedicated to helping underserved communities thrive, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chinnayya Adivasi Vikas Society (CAVS) managed by Presidential Nari Shakti Award winner Ms. Padala Bhudevi.
This MoU will enhance Farmer Producer Company (FPO) capacity building and improve the productivity and profitability of farmers in Srikakulam region of Andhra Pradesh. This work is being implemented under Tanager’s Andhra Pradesh Farmers Market Readiness Program II (APFMRP II), with grant support from the Walmart Foundation. The MoU was signed between Mr. Amit Kumar Singh, Country Representative, Tanager, India, and Ms. Padala Bhudevi, Secretary of Chinnayya Adivasi Vikas Society (CAVS), Director of Manyadeepika Farmers Producer Company and Manyam Grains FPCL for a period of 2 years.
Under this initiative Tanager will provide technical support to CAVS. Tanager and CAVS will work together to establish marketing and supply chain support for FPOs, specifically Manyadeepika and Suvarnamukhi. The work will assist at least 2000 farmers. Tanager will also work to strengthen FPO governance, working to improve managerial capacity for these vital organizations.
Talking about this initiative, Mr. Amit Kumar Singh, Country Representative, Tanager said that, “Tanager India is happy to enter the MoU with CAVS as it will pave a way for us to connect with the tribal farmers of Srikakulam in an organized manner. This initiative will give us an opportunity to showcase our expertise of strengthening the FPOs as well as help smallholder farmers improve their productivity. We further look forward to helping the FPOs in overcoming post-COVID challenges.”
“I would like to thank the representatives of Tanager especially Mr. Singh for signing the MoU with CAVS. It gives us happiness and courage to move forward. The advice and guidance provided by Tanager will be very useful for both our FPOs and farmers. We will be able to overcome the obstacles that are posed by Covid-19 pandemic. To fulfil these gaps and obstacles, we look forward to work for an extended period of 5 years with Tanager”, added Ms. Padala Bhudevi, Secretary of Chinnayya Adivasi Vikas Society (CAVS).
About Andhra Pradesh Farmer Market Readiness Program APFMRP II:
Andhra Pradesh Farmer Market Readiness Program (APFMRP) II is a 2-year continuation of the successful APFMRP I program. APFMRP II is implemented by Tanager with grant support from the Walmart Foundation and is working with over 19 thousand farmers and 13 FPOs. The goal of the project is to increase farmer incomes by providing farmers with the knowledge, resources, and services to be market ready and reach a diverse stream of buyers for their produce. The project works towards this goal by building the capacity of farmer producer organizations (FPOs) and supply chain actors to address supply and demand constraints in targeted value chains. Tanager has also partnered with Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and is working with existing FPOs formed under Andhra Pradesh Rural Inclusive Growth Programme (APRIGP). Tanager also is working with ITDA in the tribal areas covering districts of East Godavari, Srikakulam, Anantapur and Vishakhapatnam for farmers growing Cashew, Peanut, Coffee, Millets, Turmeric, Pulses, Sago, Pepper and Vegetables.
Chinnayya Adivasi Vikas Society:
CAVS, established in 1996, is managed by Padala Bhudevi. She received the "Nari Shakti Puraskar" from President Ram Nath Kovind, for her work empowering women in tribal areas in the north coastal region of Andhra Pradesh. Hailing from Srikakulam district and belonging to the Savara tribe, she successfully motivated women to participate in agri-entrepreneurial activities.
The activities include collection of traditional seeds from families in various villages and working on seed preservation and transplanting, resulting in improved access to the traditional varieties with higher nutritional value. More than 125 variants of seeds from the farmers were collected and cultivated.
CAVS also works on the processing and marketing of forest produce. Henna is another crop which is abundantly available in the reserve forest area. The NGO has trained 30 women in making Mehndi cones and hair-care products.
