Hyderabad: Farm-to-table drive a win-win situation

To ease their business and to help the farmers sell their produce at a better price in the market, Forum for IT Professionals (For IT) has set up a platform to bring producers and consumers together. ForIT volunteers are contacting residential complexes and ensuring the residents purchase fresh produce directly from farmers at their doorsteps.

The idea gained currency after as many as 15 tonnes of tomatoes were sold this way at various places in the city. Last week around 100 volunteers of For IT supported the farmers to sell their vegetables and fruits that include Ivy gourd, drumstick, watermelon and papaya, at gated communities at Chandanagar. This initiative has helped them sell around 10 tonnes of vegetables.

"The Forum for IT Professionals (For IT) has given us a platform where we are able to sell our produce directly. As due to current pandemic situation, we were unable to sell our produce and we were not getting fare prices for our product. This initiative is helping us better," said Nagamami, a farmer from Nalgonda.

"For instance, in retail market rate of Ivy gourd is Rs 40 and the farmers are hardly receiving profit because of the middlemen. We helped them sell the Ivy gourd at Rs 30 per kg and get fair profits. More farmers are coming forward to join hands with us. All we have to do is provide a platform where they can sell their fruits and vegetables," Kiran Chandra, the founder of Forum for IT Professionals (For IT).

"Earlier, the Forum helped growers sell lemons and increase productivity. Now, we are reaching out to other growers and farmers. There are a large number of farmers who are not able to get minimum profit for their produce. As we are part of the society, it is our responsibility to stand with farmers who are is distress. Slowly, we are scaling up our activities and reach and many communities are appreciative of the gesture," says Chandra proudly.