Flipkart India launches ‘Samarth Krishi’ program
Flipkart India launched the ‘Flipkart Samarth Krishi’ program with the aim of providing India’s farming communities and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) with national market access and more negotiation power through its platform.
Aligned with the government’s commitment to empower Indian farmers and boost the agricultural sector, the ‘Flipkart Samarth Krishi’ program seeks to provide market access and build the capacity of farmers. Additionally, it will help them grow sustainably, get market-ready, and become a part of the mainstream economy through relevant partnerships. As part of the program, farmers and FPOs will be trained and upskilled on technologies and best practices for improving the quality of produce.
Flipkart India has active partnerships and collaborations with several industry and government bodies – including the respective Departments of Agriculture for the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and West Bengal – for onboarding FPOs onto its e-commerce platform. Through these partnerships, Flipkart India has been able to source pulses, millets, and whole spices directly from farmers and FPOs, thus giving a boost to local agri-economies and to the livelihoods of thousands of farmers across India.
Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, said, “Flipkart India’s association with farmers and FPOs is in line with its commitment to creating avenues for increasing the income of local farmers and helping them scale their offerings at a nationwide level. By harnessing the power of technology, innovation, and e-commerce, the Flipkart Samarth Krishi program will accelerate India’s socio-economic development and benefit everyone in the value chain, from farmers to consumers. The program aims to create a significant positive impact on the Indian agriculture sector and on rural communities.”
Covering over 100 commodities such as rice, pulses, whole spices, atta, millets, etc. this program will help uplift the local economy and offer a variety of quality products to over 450 million consumers of Flipkart India. The Samarth Krishi program aims to make the digital transformation of the agricultural sector more inclusive by enhancing livelihoods and engaging with 2,500 FPOs by the end of 2023.
Flipkart India has already onboarded several FPOs across the country such as ABY Farmers, Sri Sathya Sai MAC Fed, Jana Jeevana, Nirala Herbal, Sahyadri Farms Supply Chain, and others. To date, Flipkart India has trained over 10,000 farmers on product quality and food safety while enabling them to expand their market access.