The Walmart Foundation recently announced a significant grant of $1.2 million (approximately Rs 10 crore) to the Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF). This grant is a strategic investment aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of 15,000 women rural farmers in Uttar Pradesh, India, with a focus on increasing their average base income.
This funding is part of a two-year project that will concentrate on the development of ten self-sustainable, women-led farmer producer organisations (FPOs). These FPOs will be supported in several key areas, including the development of business plans, establishment of post-harvest infrastructure, and implementation of essential systems and processes such as digital book-keeping and management control systems.
A major component of this initiative includes training and capacity-building sessions for these women farmers. The training will encompass the adoption of climate-resilient practices, which are crucial for sustainable agriculture. These practices include improving soil health, using organic mixtures for crop nutrition and protection, and effective water management.
Furthermore, the project aims to establish a ‘Krishi Value Hub’, designed to process activities for identified buyers through white-label goods. This hub will enable other companies to sell these products under their own brands. It will also deploy an enterprise resource planning system to streamline operations. The focus will be on a variety of value chains, including pulses, cereals, horticulture crops, as well as poultry, fisheries, and goat rearing.
In a statement, Julie Gehrki, Vice President and COO of the Walmart Foundation, emphasized the foundation’s commitment to reaching 1 million farmers by 2028, with at least 50% being women. This project aligns with this goal by expanding outreach to more women in rural areas and promoting sustainable income growth.
The programme also plans to leverage self-help groups promoted by the Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), a government initiative, to support these 15,000 women in productive roles within the FPOs. This approach aims to develop and demonstrate an institutional model that will benefit marginal and women farmers, creating a significant impact in rural agricultural communities.
Overall, this grant from the Walmart Foundation is a step towards empowering women in rural India by enhancing their agricultural practices and livelihoods, with a broader objective of fostering sustainable development in these communities.