District:- Sehore, Bhopal
Supported by: National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD)

Agriculture has been the backbone of the country’s economy, as about 60-70% of the population still depends on farming activities for their livelihood security. The growth in the sector, which has declined over last decade, is now poised to register an increase from the current level 2,5% to 4% as aimed at by Govt. of India. Despite these measures, the challenge before us is how do we increase production/productivity and income earning of farming communities through adoption of new and appropriate technologies and establishment of linkages with markets (both domestic as well as global).

SVSS team has facilitated 305 farmer clubs with total membership of 4575 farmers in district Sehore of Madhya Pradesh and 99 Farmer clubs with total membership of 1485 farmers in district Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, with active support of Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative banks.

The key role of SVSS is to dissemination of locally appropriate technology, development of skills for enhancement of production and productivity in project areas in addition to credit counseling and recovery of loans. Adoption of appropriate technologies by farmer clubs will improved productivity would generate additional credit demand from formal banking institutions over a period of time and improve farmers’ income margins. Keeping this in view and also in the light of agriculture distress, being faced by farmers in different villages, SVSS provide the facilitation support to farmer clubs for promoting transfer of technology for production enhancement and improved productivity in agriculture and farm related activities.

Routine activities

• - Formation of farmers club
• - Maintenance
• - Preparation of plans
• - Awareness / Orientation meets
• - Identification of needs
• - Organizing Rabies & Kharif Season experts meets
• - Development of conversion linkages with line department / institutions

Non-routine activities

• - PRA training exercise
• - Skill training /AEDP / Leadership training
• - Transfer / adoption of technologies – existing or new
• - Exposure visit of demonstration sites
• - Marketing related activities
• - Any innovative activity

The objective of the programme is “Development through credit, technology transfer, awareness and capacity building”. The emphasis of the programme is on increasing the income of the farmers by increasing the production & productivity by adopting appropriate technology, good agricultural practices, proper use of credit and marketing skills.
NABARD had successfully implemented pilot project on “Digitization of Farmer’s Club data” in the selected 17 districts of seven states viz. Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Odisha. The pilot is being upscaled to all India level. Digitization of farmers’ club would be helping for maintaining sustainability of farmers’ club as well as giving them access to various relevant IT services.

Each of the Farmer’s club can have a minimum of 10 members. There will be no upper limit in the membership. Each club will have two officers, one will be Chief Coordinator, and the other will be Associate Coordinator. These officers will be elected by the Club Members directly on a democratic basis of two years. The officers should be a resident of the area of the club. These officers will have to organize and arrange meetings with the experts, maintenance of Accounts books, cooperating with the bank, maintaining proper communication with the bank.