Women-Led Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)
Overview
PEACE (People’s Action for Creative Education) has been at the forefront of promoting Women-Led Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as a model for economic empowerment, gender equity, and sustainable agriculture. Since 2017, PEACE has supported the formation and development of FPOs in Jagdevpur Mandal, Siddipet District (Telangana), where women farmers are now taking center stage in agri-business leadership.
These FPOs represent a transformational shift — from isolated women farmers working on fragmented landholdings to organized, collective entrepreneurs with access to markets, technology, and finance
Key Achievements
Sustainable
- Total Shareholders: 1630+ women
- Primary Sectors: Red gram cultivation, mini dal milling, seed distribution, pesticide-free agriculture
- Services Provided:
- Input procurement and distribution
- Mini processing units (dal mill)
- Awareness on natural farming practices
- Market linkage facilitation
- Post-harvest processing
- Promotion Period: 2017 onwards
- Project Location: Jagdevpur Mandal, Siddipet District & Yadadri, Bhongir, Telangana
- Support Partners: NABARD, Women MACS, PEACE, local Krishi Vigyan Kendras
Why Women-Led FPOs Matter
Location
🌾 Financial Independence
Women in these FPOs often mobilize their own share capital and participate actively in the decision-making process. This leads to a greater sense of ownership, improved accountability, and independence from household financial dependency.
🚜 High Cropping Intensity & Diversity
Studies show that women-led FPOs often engage in multi-cropping systems, high-intensity cultivation (e.g., 210% cropping index), and value-added crops such as red gram, green gram, vegetables, and millets, improving farm profitability and nutrition.
🤝 Social Inclusion & Democratic Governance
These FPOs are anchored in women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and MACS, ensuring inclusive participation from Dalit, tribal, and landless communities. Decision-making is democratic and transparent, fostering collective leadership.
💸 Better Loan Repayment & Savings
Women-led FPOs display a lower rate of non-performing assets (NPAs) and stronger repayment discipline, making them ideal candidates for microfinance, bank linkages, and government schemes.
Benefits to Women Farmer
| Benefit | Description |
| Market Access | Bypass middlemen and sell directly to institutional buyers, ensuring fair and stable pricing. |
| Credit & Subsidies | FPOs facilitate bulk access to crop loans, insurance, and government subsidies. |
| Technology & Inputs | Members receive improved seed varieties, organic inputs, and agri-tech tools. |
| Capacity Building | PEACE organizes training, exposure visits, and demo plots for continuous learning. |
| Post-Harvest Management | Infrastructure like dal mills, storage units, and drying yards improves value retention and market readiness. |
Challenges Addressed
- Land Ownership Barriers: Collective ownership models and MACS/FPO structures allow women with limited or no land titles to participate.
- Training Gaps: PEACE ensures ongoing capacity building for financial management, record keeping, and agribusiness planning.
- Market Risks: Post-harvest handling and value addition (e.g., dal milling) reduce price volatility and enhance bargaining power.
- Gender-Specific Needs: Women farmers are supported with childcare, health information, and flexible training schedules to suit their domestic responsibilities.
FPO Activities Supported by PEACE
- Mini Dal Milling Units – Community-run processing for red gram, improving shelf life and value.
- Organic Fertilizer Production – Women-led production of jeevamrutham, vermicompost, and other inputs.
- Seed Distribution Hubs – Ensuring timely access to certified seeds at lower costs.
- Direct Marketing Models – PEACE helps women FPOs sell in local mandis, festive haats, and institutional procurement programs.
- Pesticide-Free Farming Awareness – Creating awareness on non-pesticide management (NPM) and natural farming for ecological sustainability.
Vision and Philosophy Mr. Nimmaiah’s vision is deeply rooted in simplicity, community empowerment, and sustainability. His leadership style emphasizes grassroots involvement, collective action, and resilience in the face of challenges. His philosophy centers around the holistic upliftment of rural communities through participatory methods, sustainable agricultural practices, and education-based interventions.
– Mr. Nimmaiah, Executive Director, PEACE