Transformation from Krishi Sakhi To Udyog Sakhi – Lakshmi Bhanware
Mrs Lakshmi married to a poor agricultural family of Khirhani village in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh. Her father-in-law’s house compelled her to work as an agricultural labour to contribute to the livelihoods of her family. She became a member of Gayatri SHG of her village during the year 2013. One year after joining the SHG she got an opportunity to undergo training on sustainable agricultural practices organised by MPSRLM. After the training was imparted to her, she was selected and appointed as a Krishi Sakhi of her village. She used the skills she learnt during the training programme to mobilize the fellow women farmers of the village to adopt the sustainable agricultural practices through providing them handholding support, field demonstrations and technical inputs.
After two years of working as a vibrant Krishi Sakhi, she joined Kanha Vanopaj Producer Company (Farmer Producer Organisation- (FPO)) as Board of Director during the year 2015 and encouraged other SHG members to join the FPO as shareholders. Currently she is catering to the 700 shareholders of the Kanha Vanopaj Producer company. Her producer company deals with value addition in aromatic rice and millets, supply of organic agricultural inputs and marketing of value-added agricultural produces.
DAY-NRLM, has trained her on various aspects of preparation and use of Organic inputs for agriculture, processing and value addition to agricultural produce and marketing of the agricultural produces. She has also undergone many exposure visits to understand the better marketing strategy of agricultural produces. Through DAY-NRLM, she has been provided with a working capital of Rs. 25 lakhs and a support of Rs. 50 lakhs for the construction of a godown to store agricultural produces of the region.
Mrs. Lakshmi played catalytic role in facilitating convergence with NABARD to open a retail outlet for the Kanha Vanopaj Producer company . She has mobilized Rs. 3.25 lakhs from the institutions to open the retail outlet named as “RURAL MART” Due to her constant effort, she was able to make Rs. 50.5 lakhs turnover of the producer company over a period of three years.
Mrs. Bhanwre has engaged herself in preparation and selling of organic agricultural inputs like organic manure thus earning Rs.80,000 to Rs. 90,000 per annum, which contributes substantially to her total family income. This has enhanced the economic status of her family.
Now, she is working as a Support staff for “Rural Mart” (a retail outlet of Kanha FPC) supported by NABARD. Now her total income has been increased to Rs.2-5 to Rs. 3 Lakhs per annum through various activities. She got an appreciation letter from the local MLA towards her selfless contribution for rural marketing of agricultural products of her region.
