FLO Pune, under the leadership of Chairperson Ms. Poonam Kochhar, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the UDYAMITA – Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Development through Land-Based Activities initiative. This partnership between Finolex Industries Limited, its CSR partner Mukul Madhav Foundation, FICCI FLO Pune Chapter, and BAIF Livelihoods marks a significant step towards empowering women farmers through sustainable livelihood opportunities, skill development, agricultural entrepreneurship, and value addition.
The one-year initiative covers two villages in Daund. It aims to enable women, particularly Self-Help Group (SHG) members and women farmers, to develop sustainable, income-generating enterprises through agriculture and allied activities.
Key Activities and Progress
1. Entrepreneurship Training Programme
A training programme was conducted on 14 August 2026 at CRS, with the participation of 30 SHG members. The programme covered project objectives, fodder development, seed selection, vegetable grafting, organic input production, integrated cropping systems, dairy value addition, and implementation planning. The training aimed to strengthen participants’ understanding of agribusiness opportunities and prepare them for the next phase of project implementation.
2. Development of Agribusiness Units
Procurement was initiated for three major interventions:
- Vegetable Grafting Unit: Nursery-based production of grafted seedlings using shade-net or polyhouse infrastructure.
- Organic Input Production: Local production of vermicompost, Jeevamrut and other bio-inputs to support soil health and sustainable agriculture.
- Integrated Cropping System: Demonstration of multi-tier and intercropping practices to promote efficient resource utilisation and diversified income.
3. Field Visits and Beneficiary Identification
Field visits were conducted on 19 September 2026 across Boriandi, Darekarwadi, Bharatgaon and Sahajpur. The visits focused on collecting baseline information, assessing existing farming practices and available resources, understanding women farmers’ interests, and identifying suitable beneficiaries for the proposed activities. Women farmers were shortlisted based on their willingness to participate, resource availability, field-level assessment, and suitability for the respective enterprises.
Proposed Reach and Impact
The project presentation estimates a potential reach of approximately 295–300 participants across the proposed activities, including:
- Shade-net and polytunnel initiatives: 100 participants
- Milk processing unit: 45–50 participants
- Organic input production: 100 participants
- Integrated cropping system: 20 participants
- Training programme: 30 participants
These figures represent estimated participation across activities and should not be interpreted as confirmed beneficiaries already reached. The next phase will focus on field-level implementation of the vegetable grafting unit, establishment of organic input production activities, and demonstrations of integrated cropping systems. Further work will include fodder production, capacity building, and coordination with selected women farmers.