Strengthening Farmers: New Agri Service Hub in Mangalwedha
On 7th August 2025, Rajlaxmi Agritech Farmer Producer Company Limited in Radde village, Mangalwedha (Solapur) inaugurated its Agri Service Centre under the NABARD FPO Accelerator Program. The event was graced by Shri Samadhan Awtade, MLA, Mangalwedha; Tehsil-level Agri Officials, including Mrs. Manisha Misal, Block Agriculture Officer; Mr. Shivajirao Kalunge, Head, Dhanshree Banking Services; Dr. Naresh Shejawal, DeHaat and Mr. Suresh Hattalli, SFI.
Led by five Directors, including Mr. Kiran Sangolkar, Rajlaxmi FPO unites 250+ shareholder farmers cultivating pomegranate, mango, and tamarind. The center also launched the model DeHaat Franchise – ‘Ek Dukan, Sampurna Samadhan’, offering:
- End-to-end agri & dairy input services
- Market linkage & output facilitation
- Expert advisory & farm solutions
- Extension & capacity-building services
- Access to credit, insurance, drone spraying, soil testing, and more
With support from SMART, NABARD, and SFI, this initiative reflects a true ‘Seed to Market’ vision, ensuring income security, innovation, and dignity for smallholders.
Technology in Action: Drone Spraying Initiative
On 4th August 2025, a drone spraying demonstration was organized in Tandulja village, Latur, in collaboration with Farmvista. Another demonstration followed on 23rd August by SSK Agro FPO in Beed.
Key Highlights:
- Immediate spraying conducted on 20 acres of sugarcane & banana by Katpur Agro FPO members.
- Expanded adoption with spraying now covering 500+ acres of soybean, banana, and sugarcane.
- Boosted member engagement and collaboration across FPOs (Aroma Agro & Vikas Agro joined demonstrations).
This marks a significant milestone in technology adoption & precision farming.
Farmers’ Knowledge Building: Training on Godawari Tur Variety
On 19th August 2025, Katpur Agro FPO, Latur organized a Farmers’ Training Program under the National Oilseed Mission, supported by Manjara KVK, Latur and the Agriculture Department.
Program Highlights:
- Participation from 200+ farmers.
- Focus on disease & pest management in soybean.
- Promotion of Godawari Tur variety (yield target: 18 qtl/acre), introduced among 80 farmers with support from the Tur Research Centre, Badnapur.
This initiative is enabling scientific farming practices and boosting productivity across the region.
Strengthening Collective Voice: 4th ADM FPO Meet
The 4th ADM FPO Meet 2025 was held on 29–30 August 2025 in Latur, bringing together farmer leaders, FPO directors, and institutional partners to discuss strategies for scaling farmer collectives, enhancing market access, and promoting sustainable farming.
Together, these initiatives under the NABARD FPO Accelerator Program are shaping a farmer-centric ecosystem bringing technology, training, and market access to the grassroots.
