Action for Social Advancement (ASA), with support from the Walmart Foundation, has launched the second phase of its flagship initiative to transform rural livelihoods and empower 35,000 smallholder farmers in Madhya Pradesh, with a strong focus on tribal communities. The program is designed to strengthen agricultural value chains, enhance natural resource management, and build grassroots community institutions that anchor long-term economic growth.

Phase 2 builds on the measurable successes of the initial phase, which laid the groundwork for institutional and market transformation. Over the past three years, ASA facilitated the formation of seven Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), enabling trading of more than 70,000 quintals of crops and providing training to over 30,000 farmers in vegetable cultivation, agroforestry, and sustainable agricultural practices. It also unlocked Rs 80 million in credit through Ploughman Agro Private Limited and supported 10,500 farmers in adopting water conservation techniques that improved crop productivity and reduced vulnerability to climate variability.

These interventions translated into tangible financial impact, with participating farmers reporting income growth of 25–30 per cent and FPOs posting turnovers between Rs 45 and Rs 60 million. By aggregating produce, improving market access, and providing value-added services, the FPOs have begun to evolve into self-sustaining enterprises that can play a catalytic role in local rural economies.

The second phase of the project will scale these efforts further across agriculture value chain development, sustainable farming systems, and grassroots institution building. ASA aims to bring 75,000 hectares under regenerative land use, raise crop intensity from 124 per cent to 200 per cent, and expand FPO membership from 7,800 to 13,500. Mobilizing Rs 160 million in working capital will be a key priority to ensure that FPOs can extend credit, support input supply, and negotiate better terms with buyers, ultimately strengthening the economic resilience of smallholders.

Founded in 1996, ASA has been a pioneer in farm-based livelihood promotion, with a long-standing focus on marginalized communities across eight Indian states. Its Livelihood Enhancement Model integrates natural resource stewardship with market linkage strategies, creating an ecosystem where people, nature, and the economy thrive together.

Phase 2 will be implemented over the next two years across Anuppur, Betul, Dindori, Mandla, and Ratlam districts in Madhya Pradesh, with the aim of deepening the program’s impact and positioning farmer collectives as engines of inclusive rural growth.