Inclusive Supply Chain and Enterprise Development Key Interventions
PROJECT CLUSTERS
Village clustering was undertaken to gather previously unavailable data and target interventions effectively. The project identified 167 clusters across 18 blocks, further divided into 485 subclusters or product clusters. Each cluster and sub-cluster was mapped for supply chain commodities to generate data on coverage, household involvement, and production potential.
This data is authenticated through block-level sensitization programs, followed by Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs), which bring together stakeholders and actors with similar interests to enhance market conditions through shared learning, joint decision-making, and collective action.
The process begins with MSP 1, a one-day sensitization program where farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs gather in a central village to identify gaps and aspirations. In MSP 2, youths from MSP 1 become village facilitators, collecting data and forming Producer Groups based on similar livelihoods. MSP 3 addresses production issues and proposes support strategies for post-harvesting, logistics, and bank linkages.
THE WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY
Through its Inclusive Supply Chain and Enterprise Development component, the Megha-LAMP project provides essential financial support to micro-enterprises to support rural economic development. The objectives are to stimulate private investment across various stages of the agri supply chain, including input supply, production, post-harvest management, processing, marketing, and support services. This initiative aims to develop competitive supply chains, promote overall growth through market-led production, increase sales turnover, improve incomes, and create employment opportunities. It also seeks to promote the growth of networks of competent, market-based service providers.
The project provides four funding windows for different categories of business size.
Window 1
Small holders on Farm InvestmentSmall-scale producer investments in critical production constraints and initial post-harvest technologies and systems
Window 2
Service ProvidersInput supply strengthening and agricultural/ Livestock technical Services supporting the supply chain
Window 3
Medium Enterprises InvestmentSmall /Medium enterprises investments in initial production, and post-harvest management, processing / marketing and support service market of the listed supply chain
Window 4
Larger Agribusiness InvestmentLarge business investments in the downstream supply chain
COLLECTIVIZATION OF FARMERS
Megha-LAMP tackles the challenges faced by small and marginal farmers, village-level input suppliers, and aggregators by enhancing productivity, delivering extension services, and developing value chains to improve market access and bargaining power. This is achieved by organizing them into member-owned and member-controlled Producer Groups (PGs), formed from farmers engaged in similar activities like agriculture, livestock, or NTFP. The focus is on expanding areas and marketing as collectives. These PGs, usually unregistered, are organized as Common Activity Groups, Farmers’ Interest Groups, or Joint Liabilities Groups, with an average size of 10 to 20 members. Membership is restricted to one member per household per group. Through this intervention, Megha-LAMP has empowered farmers to address input availability and marketing challenges, leading to increased productivity and improved incomes.
COLLECTIVE MARKETING CENTRES (CMC)
Collective marketing initiatives are being promoted by Megha-LAMP to respond to the growing challenge of rural farmers having little to no control in supply chains and enable them to regain bargaining power, cut costs of transportation and storage, and eradicate the influence and position of middlemen, while realizing fair and competitive negotiation prices for their produce at the markets. This was a result of observations of individual farmers not being able to keep up with varying market dynamics because of production and marketing issues that they face as individuals and a poor understanding and knowledge of how the market works. In view of this, Collective Marketing Centres (CMC) have been set up as one-stop shops for marketing and processing agricultural produce, input-supply, and for providing forward and backward linkages
Collective marketing initiatives are being promoted by Megha-LAMP to respond to the growing challenge of rural farmers having little to no control in supply chains and enable them to regain bargaining power, cut costs of transportation and storage, and eradicate the influence and position of middlemen, while realizing fair and competitive negotiation prices for their produce at the markets. This was a result of observations of individual farmers not being able to keep up with varying market dynamics because of production and marketing issues that they face as individuals and a poor understanding and knowledge of how the market works. In view of this, Collective Marketing Centres (CMC) have been set up as one-stop shops for marketing and processing agricultural produce, input-supply, and for providing forward and backward linkages