Uttar Pradesh partners with Honda Foundation to support farmers, FPOs

Uttar Pradesh Minister of Agriculture Surya Pratap Shahi said Honda Foundation will run their pilot project in Gorakhpur and Rewaria through which the farmers will be given training, business education and marketing analysis strategies for better market linkages.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a lot of welfare schemes for farmers during the Covid era, amid which, he also announced that over 10,000 FPO will be made in the next 5 years... Over 3800 FPOs have been made in Uttar Pradesh alone... It is important to train these FPOs for technical knowledge, better management and governance. Honda Foundation is making an initiative in this direction and they will run their pilot project in Gorakhpur and Rewaria through which the farmers will be given training, business education and marketing analysis strategies for better market linkages," the Uttar Pradesh minister said.

"If these projects will fetch good results, they will take it forward in other districts as well... We are working to bring technology to economically backward districts of eastern UP and Bundelkhand... The MoU with the Honda Foundation and the Agriculture Department will accelerate this effort... Our goal is to boost productivity, provide training and reduce financial disparity. This aligns with Prime Minister Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat...," the minister added.

Honda India Foundation Trustee Vinay Dhingra said the project will begin in the next financial year.

"India aims to become a developed nation by 2047, a vision set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with farmers playing a crucial role... Honda, committed to supporting farmers, has partnered with the UP government through a Memorandum of Cooperation... Initially, two pilot projects will be launched in Gorakhpur and Deoria to enhance productivity, quality, governance and market access for farmers... Based on the success of the projects, the initiative will expand across UP..." Dhingra said.

EY Social and Skills Sector Partner and Leader, Amit Vatyayan said he hopes this project of Honda India Foundation will play a major role for the farmers.

"It is our fortune that we have been working with the UP government on FPOs since last few years such as taking it forward and FPO Shakti Portal and were also working with Honda for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)... It is a matter of pleasure that Honda started Annadata Project in cooperation with the UP government and this project is focusing on the areas where FPOs are much needed, such as increasing governance capacity, business capacity, market capacity and supporting their stability...," he said, talking to ANI.