Rabobank to fund Rupees 1 crore to Zameen

NewKerala.com
11 August 2009 by UNI

http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-90133.html

Rabobank Foundation today announced a Rs 1 crore support to the Agricultural and Organic Farming Group (AOFG) India over the next three years in recognition of its work with farmer-owned partner company Zameen Organic.

AOFG India, a network organisation consisting of farmer associations and grassroot development and community organisations, helped set up Zameen Organic in 2006 to improve access to markets for small and marginal farmers.

The fund aimed to boost capacity building of regional associations of organic cotton farmers.

Initially working with 300 farmers in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, an area renowned for its farmer suicide cases, and the tribal area of Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh Zameen was now jointly owned by cotton farmers.

AOFG supported the private limited company through farmer organisational and institutional development, as well as technical training in organic farming practices and on fairtrade regulations.

Rabobank Foundation selected AOFG India in recognition of the inclusive ownership in Zameen’s business model, which reflected the bank’s cooperative principles. They were also impressed by the social and economic impacts for farmers and their wider communities achieved by linking up small-holders to large markets.

Zameen also partners with fashion brands and textile mills within its supply chains, accessing a greater proportion of the value chain for its farmer shareholders.

The Rabobank Foundation’s support will be invested in capacity building and strengthening the grassroot-level farmer institutions.

In addition, some of the funding will go towards the organic and fairtrade certification costs.