As part of the MoU the Foundation will launch ‘JSPL Foundation VeggieKart Project’ that will directly link the farmers with the consumers. The tripartite MoU was signed by Mr. Biranchi Narayan Samanta, President of Angul District Farmers’ Club Federation, Mr K.C Mishra, CEO of eKutir and Mr. S.K Sharma, AVP (CSR & R) of JSPL in the presence of Ms. Puspa Satapathy, DGM (CSR) and Ms. Deepali Panda, Assistant Manager (CSR).
Through this unique and innovative project, suitable market linkages will be provided for the farm produces of small and marginal farmers from the periphery villages of Jindal Steel & Power Limited. The farmers will be integrated with a profitable collective enterprise i.e. “JSPL Foundation VeggieKart”, an e-commerce based vegetable marketing model.
The Package of support system includes three months of training during which, the farmers will be trained on sorting, grading and packaging of the farm produces.
Through this marketing model, the farmers will be directly linked to the local consumers, thus enabling them to sell their produces at competitive prices and in turn ensuring the supply of fresh seasonal vegetables to the local consumers.
The initiative also constitutes selling vegetables and fruits through online purchase or on call purchase of vegetables, delivery at doorstep or pickup from the nearest VeggieMart or VeggieWheels in pre pack or post packs on purchase and thereby making everyday vegetables and fruits purchasing easier by ten manifolds. The Model will consciously minimize the intermediaries as well as maximize the returns to the vegetable growers.
Signing the MoU Mr. SK S.K. Sharma, AVP (CSR & R) said, “We are very happy that this initiative by JSPL Foundation will not only benefit the farmers, but also benefits the consumers, who will get good quality vegetable. I hope local farmers will take advantage of this innovative programme”.
JSPL, through its CSR Arm JSPL Foundation has been working consistently in the interest of the Farmers for enhancing their income on a sustainable basis, veggieKart is one step more in this direction” said Mr D.K.Saraogi, Executive Director, In charge JSPL, Angul.
Along with successful implementation of the Participatory Watershed management project in collaboration with NABARD, this project will add yet another feather to the umbrella of sustainable livelihood interventions of JSPL Foundation, thus encouraging more and more farmers to engage in cultivation of horticultural crops.
Presently, this programme has been made available at Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda by e –Kutir.