While we have the program level Learning Questions here, will be useful to reflect on the Odisha pilot specifically. This is my take based on convos with the team, requesting Chandan Dash (Unlicensed) Ronali Pradhan (Unlicensed) ashok Amrita Das (Unlicensed) Gautam Mandewalker and others who have spent time w Saharapada to add their thoughts as well.
As of Sep 7 2022
What’s working?
Nursery is operational. We decided to proceed in May and the nursery has been operational since July 26. It has a capacity to raise ~2 lakh saplings in one batch and as of Sep 7, FPO has raised __ saplings, sold ___ and realized ___ in revenue.
FPO directors want to digitize information contained in their registers so they have easy access to certain queries / analytics to manage their biz (total intent, advanced payments received, etc.) and share information with shareholders which is currently difficult for them to do
FPO is seeking working capital to scale nursery operations; previously the FPO was wary of taking on any debt so this is an important development that shows growing confidence / maturity / commercial sensibility
FPO feels it has a compelling offer for farmers (soil-less saplings at cheap rate) and can grow is shareholder base (which has been flat at ~500 members for the past few years; they want to grow to 1500 in the near-future)
FPO realized cost savings on inputs by aggregating member demand through KDE and purchasing in bulk from larger dealers in Bhubaneswar. Examples:
Seeds: 350-400 vs. 550
Vermi-compost 72 per kg vs 220
Challenges
Churn: CEO resigned end of Aug (CYSD working on replacement), 1 of the 2 Data Officers (who was external to the FPO) left and needs to be replaced
We still don’t have a business plan that can be leveraged for loan applications. We have developed a “roles and responsibilities” sheet for future pilot where we will spell out who does what more clearly as our expectation was that resource agency (CYSD in this case); will be helpful to make this explicit going forward.
Data officers are using physical registers; getting this digitized is taking time. DG providing laptop to data officers.
What’s Next
Help FPO apply for Mission Shakti loan and SFAC matching grant
Avail 40% subsidy on hybrid tomato seeds purchased for nursery from DoH (~1 lakh total spend)
FPOs helps shareholder farmers avail 5,000 payment from DoH for cultivating vegetables
FPO captures intent for next batch of saplings (sowing date mid September so need to start capturing intent ASAP)
Demonstrate value of data for offtake (tomato heat map)
MEL team will do an impact assessment in November.
Help FPO produce a marketing video for membership drive
Figure out an “exit strategy.” When do we stop providing so much hand holding? When does this pilot end and what continuing support do we provide? Lets use end of year as a forcing function; where do we want to be by then?