WANAPARTHY: Global agri-input company Syngenta has dedicated one of the biggest state-of-the-art rural wayside markets, built at a cost of Rs 3.3 crore, to the farmers of Wanaparthy. The market was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy and the company’s global CEO J Erik Frywald on Thursday.
The market in Wanaparthy is one of the 25 such markets being built in India under Syngenta’s flagship CSR I-CLEAN (Inculcating Cleanliness, Learning, Education, Awareness and New Habits) programme.
The market has a built-up area of 51,020 sq ft and is located on Pebbair road in Wanaparthy town. It will be handed over to the agriculture marketing department soon.
It will cater to over 20,000 farmers by providing them a safe place to do their business as well as consumers from over 30 villages and urban areas around the district headquarters. Speaking at the event, KC Ravi, chief sustainability officer, Syngenta India, said, “This state-of-art wayside market is equipped with modern amenities, including approach roads from the highway, 78 raised platforms, sheds, lights, parking facilities, safe drinking water, toilet blocks for men and women, water harvesting, lush green frontage, waste disposal, and children playing area.”
He said that market stalls, sheds canteen, baby feeding room and a crèche make this project unique and a safe place, especially for women farmers. The facility is expected to impact around 20% women farmers in the area, Ravi said.
“The marketplace has multiple awareness messages highlighting the importance of proper crop protection practices, tips of health and hygiene. As an agri input company, we take stewardship very seriously and educate our farmers on various aspects of safety on a continuous basis,” he added.
Lauding Syngenta India’s dedication to help and empower farmers, Niranjan Reddy said, “This ultra-modern rural market will give a big boost to farmers’ incomes and their ease of life. I thank Syngenta India for building its biggest rural market for the farmers of Wanaparthy.” With high productivity, much higher growth rate in agriculture (7.8%) which is more than the national average, Erik Fyrwald said that Syngenta was happy to contribute to the growth of farmers and farming communities in Telangana.