Shanavas C, IAS, Secretary to the Government of Nagaland and State Project Director, FOCUS Nagaland (M), Sunil Kumar, Managing Director, Synergy Technofin Pvt. Ltd. (L) and S.L Peter, Synergy Technofin Pvt. Ltd. (R) during the Buyer-Seller Meet at DUDA Guest House Kohima on November 18.
Morung Express News
Kohima | November 18
Recognising the need for farmers to understand business potential for their produce and further explore avenues for business partnerships, a ‘Buyer-Seller Meet’ was organised today by Synergy Technofin Pvt. Ltd at DUDA Guest House in Kohima. A total of 16 FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisation) from nine districts of Nagaland participated in the Meet with buyers converging from different states.
These FPOs were formed under IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) funded FOCUS Project (Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming Systems in the Northeast) and are now operational and working on input-output business strategies.
To ensure their sustainability, Synergy Technofin Pvt. Ltd is also facilitating input management, good agricultural practices, produce, aggregation, and market linkages with buyers and exporters from outside the state.
Addressing the Meet, Shanavas C, IAS, Secretary to the Government of Nagaland and State Project Director, FOCUS Nagaland remarked that the Project has seen a lot of challenges and ups and downs. However, he highlighted that besides the seed funding, extending handholding support to the FPOs is a major part of the project, for which, the Buyer-Seller Meet was organised.
In this regard, he told the buyers who have come to buy from different parts of the country that, “you will definitely get as per your expectations.” Shanavas, who has been posted in the state of Nagaland for the 12th year now including working in the remotest district, testified that, “people are very hard working.” “They may not know the best way of packaging and marketing, but you get the tastiest pineapple, persimmon, kiwi…” he stated.
Pointing out that our farmers don’t know the value, he said, “we are actually missing out the plethora of opportunities to sell it outside and get economy.” However, he exuded hope that this kind of event could be the beginning of something bigger, and an opportunity to train farmers on how to promote and market their produce.
To the farmers who have come a long way from all the districts, he said, “we will continue to give handholding support.” “Maybe some years down the line, your produce will increase and you will all get organic certification”, he added while stating that although most produce from the state are organically produced, there is a need for organic certification for the market outside.
He also expressed optimism that they will go a long way and that the farmers would be able to survive on their own feet few years down the line.
In his opening remarks, Sunil Kumar, Managing Director, Synergy Technofin Pvt. Ltd. spoke about the major problem of getting mass quantity. He said there are challenges but at the same time, noted that many things have evolved and stated hope that there will be volumes of produce in the near future. “We have all these things here naturally. We just need small fixes here and there, which can happen only with collaboration,” he said.
Further stating that the hope from Synergy is for the real transaction to state, he underscored that, “if all stakeholders and partners come together, we can really connect to the market.”
S.L Peter, Synergy Technofin Pvt. Ltd. highlighted about the journey of FPOs under FOCUS Nagaland. He said Synergy had gone to 96 villages during which a lot of interaction happened surrounding the concept, benefit, and vision. He also informed that all the FPOs have been registered under Cooperative Societies and have been given training on management of organisation, record keeping, financial management, etc.
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