FPOs Uplift Rural Women, Boost Farmer Incomes and Cut Post-Harvest Losses
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, May 11 – In a remarkable transformation of rural livelihoods, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) have empowered women in the villages around Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, providing them with substantial financial stability and better quality of life. Women who once earned meagre wages as farm labourers are now making up to Rs 2,000 a day working in agri-processing units.In Karmad, about 30 kilometres from the city, women like Padmaja Vedpathak are reaping the benefits of these FPOs. “We process three tonnes of corn daily and earn around Rs 2,000 each per day. Earlier, I earned only Rs 300 a day working on someone else’s farm. This change has uplifted my family,” she said.
Padmaja is among several women engaged in corn processing units established under FPOs. These units not only generate employment but also create a robust market for surplus agricultural produce that would otherwise go to waste. The processed corn is used in products like poultry feed and edible oils.
Prabhavati Padul, a member of one such FPO, said the organisation, started in 2020, purchases excess corn at Rs 18 per kg and sells the processed output for Rs 25 to Rs 26, earning a profit of nearly Rs 7 per kg.
In nearby Hiwra village, women run a solar-powered onion drying unit. Rekha Pophale, who works there, said, “I just sort and segregate onions and earn Rs 500 a day. This has given me financial freedom. My grandchildren now study in an English-medium school, we are able to repay debts, save money, and even buy gold.”
The initiative has been supported by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). According to Suresh Patwekar, district development manager of NABARD, around 1,500 women are actively involved in processing crops like tomato, onion, ginger, and corn through FPOs in the district.
“These FPOs have helped stabilise farmer incomes by absorbing surplus produce and adding value through processing. Farmers are no longer forced to destroy excess harvests,” Patwekar said. “We support them with funding, capacity building, technology, and market access.”
The FPO movement in the region has been further supported by Mahatma Phule Ekatmik Samaj Mandal. Kailash Rathod, the organisation’s head of sustainable development, explained, “We started with water conservation, then moved towards improving farmer incomes. In Maharashtra, we’ve helped form 32 FPOs connecting nearly 10,000 farmers.”
The impact has been profound. From a modest turnover of Rs 7 to 8 crore in 2020, the combined revenue of the three major FPOs in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has surged to Rs 74 crore in 2025.
This rural economic model not only empowers women but also ensures better prices for farmers and sustainable development for the region.