Walmart Foundation Backs NAF Project to Support 12,500 Farmers in Andhra Pradesh
Vijayawada, June 26 (TNT): National Agro Foundation (NAF) on Friday said it has received a grant from the Walmart Foundation to support more than 12,500 smallholder farmers across Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh through a project aimed at strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), promoting climate-resilient agriculture and improving market access.
The initiative, titled “Empowering 12,500 Farmers belonging to Selected 10 FPOs of Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh for Sustainable Economic Development and Climate Resilience”, will be implemented through 10 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the two regions.
The project seeks to enhance the sustainability of FPOs as community-led institutions while enabling farmers to adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices, improve market linkages and strengthen long-term livelihood opportunities, with special emphasis on women farmers, the foundation said in a release here.
NAF Chief Executive Officer Dr. M. R. Ramasubramaniyan said the initiative aims to improve farmers’ incomes through sustainable agricultural production, responsible value chains, better market access and enhanced price realisation through collective action.
He said the project would place women at the centre of agricultural development during the International Year of Women Farmers and reaffirmed NAF’s commitment to empowering smallholder farmers through sustainable development initiatives.
Nishant Gupta, Social and Environmental Impact Advisor to Walmart.org, said Farmer Producer Organizations have the potential to become strong drivers of rural economic growth when supported with improved institutional capabilities, market linkages and digital tools.
He said the Walmart Foundation-supported initiative would help strengthen local institutions while expanding economic opportunities for women farmers across Andhra Pradesh.
The project will focus on three key areas—sustainable economic empowerment of farmers, strengthening FPOs for long-term sustainability and enhancing women’s participation in agriculture for inclusive rural livelihoods.
NAF said it would deploy its multi-module KANCHI digital platform to improve governance, financial management and business operations of participating FPOs.
The platform will also facilitate data-driven decision-making and provide real-time market intelligence to strengthen procurement and marketing systems.
According to NAF, the long-term objective is to develop a replicable FPO-led rural development model that enables smallholder farmers to emerge as entrepreneurs and active participants in agricultural value chains while building resilient and inclusive rural economies.
TNT KM
