A Coodu Trust initiative aligned with the Government of India's FPO promotion policy — introducing collective marketing to small and marginal farmers across 10 villages in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu.
The project
Creating awareness among farming communities on the benefits of Farmer Producer Organisations, their formation and management processes, and the opportunities available through government agencies — empowering small and marginal farmers to collectively market their products and practice profitable agriculture.
Delivered by Coodu Trust during 2015–2016, this foundation programme took the FPO concept to 10 villages in 3 blocks of Dindigul district, where approximately 600 farmers gained knowledge about the FPO model and its potential benefits for their agricultural livelihoods. The work was aligned with the Government of India's FPO promotion policy for protecting small and marginal farmers from market exploitation.
Outreach strategically targeted farmers growing four commercially important crops — maize, cotton, vegetables and mango — to show how collective action could address crop-specific marketing challenges and improve price realisation. A structured exposure visit took 30 farmers to successful, operational FPOs at Kannivadi and Palani in Dindigul district to see collective marketing working first-hand.
The programme's footprint was small but it came first. Years later Coodu Trust was empanelled as a Cluster-Based Business Organisation (CBBO) by TNSFAC under the Central Government's 10,000 FPO Scheme, and now runs 4 registered Farmer Producer Companies with 1,103 enrolled farmer members.
Why this work matters
Small and marginal farmers marketing their produce individually have little bargaining power — the very market exploitation the Government of India's FPO promotion policy set out to address.
Comprehensive sessions in 3 blocks of Dindigul district educated about 600 farmers on FPO formation, management structures and the opportunities available through government agencies.
Awareness sessions alone rarely move farmers to organise — the benefits of collective marketing and resource sharing need to be seen working in real farmer organisations.
30 farmers taken on a structured visit to successful, operational FPOs at Kannivadi and Palani — interacting with established members and seeing the tangible benefits of collective action.
At a glance
Outcomes
Coodu Trust is empanelled as a Cluster-Based Business Organisation by TNSFAC under the 10,000 FPO Scheme, and has promoted Oddanchatram Agro and Kuriji Malai in Dindigul, and Delta Vaduvur and Ponni Vanam in Thiruvarur.
1,082 farmers enrolled across the 4 FPOs in 2022–2023, including 257 women members (24% women participation), rising to 1,103 farmers enrolled in 2023–2024 across Dindigul and Thiruvarur districts.
All 4 FPOs received an equity grant for their business and have started trading — grassroots awareness-building from 2015–2016 followed, years later, by formal institutional development.
Get involved
Support the farmer collectives movement — from grassroots FPO awareness to registered farmer producer companies that give small and marginal farmers real market power.
