Phase II of the project with new grant support from the Walmart Foundation will benefit a total of 38,000 women farmers across nineteen FPCs.

Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action (SRIJAN) is scaling efforts to strengthen women-led Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) and expand economic opportunities for women smallholder farmers in rural India.

Following the success of Phase I of the project, which reached over 24,000 smallholder women farmers, Phase II of the project with new grant support from the Walmart Foundation will benefit a total of 38,000 women farmers across nineteen FPCs. This initiative aims to strengthen women’s participation in the agricultural ecosystem, enabling them to embrace leadership roles while enhancing market access and building resilience.

Under Phase I between Nov 2022 to Nov 2024, turnover of the 12 FPCs supported by the project grew by over 190 per cent, while shareholders saw an average annual income increase of Rs 30,000, a 51 per cent rise. The shareholder base expanded from 6,614 to 24,328, 88 per cent of whom are women. The number of shareholders that sold produce to the FPOs grew up to 39 per cent, while the shareholders who purchased inputs from the FPO grew to 88 per cent.

“Through our network of 34 Village Level Collection Centers (VLCCs), we successfully aggregated and procured 448 metric tonnes of agricultural produce directly from women farmers. Direct sell has ensured better prices for our members and greater value retention within the farming community” said Maya Ghosh (Director, Ken Betwa Mahila Farmer Producer Company Limited)

Speaking about the next phase of the project, Prasanna Khemariya, Chief Executive Officer, SRIJAN said, “We are committed to fostering a more inclusive, efficient, and profitable FPC ecosystem—one centred around agricultural production and greater participation of women farmers in the value chain.”

The Phase II will also focus on strengthening governance and operations within FPCs while empowering women to assume leadership roles. All 19 FPCs are expected to manage operations independently, supporting long-term sustainability. It is projected that 70% of farmers will adopt improved crop management practices, with increased productivity gains.

Nishant Gupta, Social & Environmental Impact Advisor to Walmart.org stated, “Empowering women farmers is central to building resilient agricultural economies. We are pleased to support SRIJAN’s efforts to enhance market access, boost capacity building and increase women’s participation in the Agri-value chain.”

Through this continued initiative, SRIJAN is enabling more women to participate in decision-making, strengthen their livelihoods, and contribute to thriving rural economies.