ATARI Director Zone XI, Dr.V.Venkatasubramanian visited Pathiyoor Panchayath ( FFP panchayath ) made the day much inspiring and fruitful with active interactions and field visits on 18.11.2021. He interacted with FFP farmers consisted of coconut farmers, women group members and young agripreneurs and the peoples representatives of all the 19 wards of the panchayath. The interactive session was organized in the meeting hall of PHC, Pathiyoor junction. The director elucidated the scope of linkages and convergences with various agencies for multiplying the impact to benefit the social system through integrated farming and strengthening value chain. Based on one to one interaction regarding the challenges and constraints/complaints in connection with FFP interventions, he summed up it as the marketing problems and stressed on proper market facilities, branding, procurement and sharing benefits through self help and organizing themselves through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO). It was mutually agreed upon for conducting a study tour to successful marketing models and adopting grading and processing for income improvement.

A community egg incubator was handed over to model duck farmer Sri.Radhakrishnan during the occasion and launched the panchayath level duckling production under FFP. ATARI Director visited the OFPC office and rural mart, shared his views to Board members of the Odanadu Farmer Producer Company (OFPC) towards the diversified marketing scenario and other farmer linkage activities. The community coconut nursery of root (wilt) disease tolerant West Coast Tall poly bag seedlings, maintained by FFP in linkage with OFPC was appreciated as a scientific intervention. The bio nutri priming experiment in coconut seedlings is an initiative during 2021-22 and Dr Venkatasubramanian inaugurated second batch of sowing of seed nuts in the community nursery. He also conducted field visits and interacted with women farmers encouraged the farmers as well as MGNREGS members for their future farming activities and livelihood security. The visit was really encouraging for the participant farmers and the panchayath samithi decided to strengthen value chain in major crops through FPO. The visit came to a close by 1.30 PM.

ATARI director interacting with FFP farmers

Field visit to turmeric plots of FFP women farmers