Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Friday, Mar 22, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Friday, Mar 22, 2002 |
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Agri-Biz & Commodities
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Consulting Good response to agri-clinic project Our Bureau
HYDERABAD, March 21 THE national agri-entrepreneurial scheme to raise a new breed of agri-consultants in rural areas has received a good response, with 7,293 applicants from all over the country. Uttar Pradesh with 1,805, Bihar with 485 and Maharastra (425) topped in terms of aspirants, who have applied for the project called `agri-clinics and agri-business centres'. The initiative, formulated with the assistance of the Nabard and to be co-ordinated by a consortia led by the Hyderabad-based MANAGE was launched recently. It plans to churn out nearly 30,000 agri-entrepreneurs, who would be equipped to practice as `consultants' to farmers across the country. MANAGE and the Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) have put together an intensive 2-3 month certificate course that would give the agriculture graduate the requisite capability to go back to his village and practice as a paid extension professional, explained Mr A.K. Goel, Director-General of MANAGE. These trained agri-entrepreneurs would offer integrated and value added extension services to the farming community for which they would be paid. Armed with the certificate, the agriculture graduate can avail of a Rs 10 lakh loan to invest in creating the necessary infrastructure to set up his consultancy in the rural area. An option of forming groups of 5 to offer a variety of services under a single banner would make them eligible to obtain a loan of Rs 50 lakhs, he said. Under the scheme, an interest of 10-12 per cent, with the 9-year repayment starting after two years has been worked out. Nabard has agreed to refinance the banks that extend loans against a suitable collateral or security. MANAGE will tie up with 65 national agriculture institutes and state agricultural universities to decentralise the implementation aspect of the training programme.
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