Agripreneurship Model for Banana Farmers of Bhagalpur, Bihar: The Case of Umbrella Programme for Natural Resource Management

Abstract

Conventional banana farmers of Bihar face many challenges with regards to unavailability of credit, lack of quality saplings, training on improved package of practices and poor market linkages. These issues become critical amongst small and marginal farmers who have limited financial and institutional support. This leads to poor productivity and thus, low income. To address these issues, Umbrella Programme for Natural Resource Management (UPNRM), an Indo-German Development Cooperation programme supported by NABARD, GIZ and KFW, brought out an Agripreneurship model for small and marginal banana farmers in Bhagalpur, Bihar. Under UPNRM programme loan and need based grant is provided to implementation agencies called as “Channel Partners”. Indian Rural Association (IRA) – a leading NGO working in Bihar and Jharkhand – approached NABARD with the proposal for Agripreneurship model for small and marginal banana farmers in Bhagalpur, Bihar. The agency identified 200 conventional banana farmers, mostly small and marginal farmers and provided them credit for introducing tissue culture banana cultivation with intercropping. The project also trained local Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) to extract banana fibre from the pseudo-stem of banana which used to be considered as a waste material earlier. The project has significant positive impacted on the socio-economic condition of banana farmers and has helped them to become Agripreneurs. The paper delves into the process of agripreneurship where both NGO and farmers have taken risks, implemented new interventions, learnt together and created successful enterprise.