What El Nino? This ground up farmers’ cooperative continues to reap dividends
The Mulkanoor Cooperative Rural Credit & Marketing Society in Telangana is successfully supporting local farmers by providing integrated agricultural services. Despite environmental challenges like El Nino, the cooperative model has enabled farmers to maintain productivity and export branded rice.
Why it matters
It serves as a successful case study for cooperative economic models in rural development, demonstrating how collective bargaining can improve farmer self-reliance.
By: Sakshat.TornekarHYDERABAD: In Mulkanoor village of Hanumakonda district, farmers have access to most of what they need for cultivation within the village itself and are now preparing to send their branded rice to the US. From seeds and fertilisers to farm equipment, credit and a market for their harvest, the Mulkanoor Cooperative Rural Credit & Marketing Society brings these services under one roof. The cooperative is built with its farmer-members, with almost zero non-performing assets (NPAs), with nearly 90% of its employees also belonging to farming families from the same community, according to the villagers.“We don’t have to deal with the brokers or step outside of the village for agricultural solutions. The cooperative has its own godown which takes care of the quality of the produce and other requirements, which makes us self-reliant,” said Bollampally Kumar Swamy (45), a farmer.
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