BENGALURU: The state government is introducing a first-of-its-kind post-harvest and value-addition model aimed at improving farmer incomes by moving beyond cultivation-centric agriculture.
Announcing the initiative on Wednesday, Agriculture Minister N Chalavurayaswamy said the model focuses on processing, branding, packaging and marketing of produce, enabling farmers to earn four to five times higher income and reduce dependence on middlemen.
He was speaking at “Agriculture Beyond Production--Empowering Farmers”, a two-day conference organised by the Department of Agriculture under bilateral cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, through the SuATI project implemented by GIZ India.
The minister added that India has overtaken China to become the world’s largest producer and exporter of rice, with production ranging between 140 and 160 million metric tonnes annually. However, he said record output had not translated into financial security for farmers, who continue to face debt, crop risks and post-harvest losses.
The new model focuses on processing, branding, packaging and marketing of agricultural produce, moving beyond traditional cultivation practices. Chalavuraya Swamy said farmers could earn four to five times higher income by adding value to their produce and accessing markets directly.
The state is also encouraging the formation of cooperatives and farmer producer organisations to collectively process and market products, reduce dependence on middlemen and build farmer confidence. He said the initiative was also aimed at educated youth seeking employment, offering them opportunities in integrated and progressive farming.