FUTURE GREENS SAMSTHE(R)
About Us
Future Greens Samsthe (R) was established in March 2010, registered under society’s act, by a group of professionals and farmers primarily as a response to the needs of marginalized communities living in rural areas.
We strive hard to work towards a just and equitable society where in the all participants within an economy enjoy benefits of safe food, safe environment and a healthy living by engaging in an economic activity. We believe in fair trade business as solution to poverty by working with the communities and their collectives, blend of sustainable technologies to conserve and develop natural resources, and the markets to foster entrepreneurship. Thus, we have envisaged participatory approach, building peoples’ institutions, market access and productivity enhancement services as our methodology.
As part of our mission, we have already promoted 4 community owned FPOs around organic crops, vegetables and livestock. Thus, as an intervention strategy, we are addressing the complete livelihood triad encompassing institutions, finance and support services like technical inputs and collective marketing of the produces.
The impact of the offerings
- Renewed confidence among small and marginal farmers, shepherds and goat keepers as they see hope in their traditional livelihood profiles.
- Introduction of better production technologies within the sector through skill based training resulted in reducing risks and improving productivity of assets.
- Ensuring availability of safe and wholesome grains and vegetables to consumers in urban areas.
- Easy access to finance at affordable rates for groups owning no immovable assets. This enabled rural poor to invest on productive assets like flour mills, home based food processing, livestock, hand-looms, groceries, bangle and saree selling etc.
- Direct linking of producers with markets under buyback contracts through their own collectives resulting in shortened supply chain and hence improved price realization and share of the consumer rupee. Helped them earn additional Rs 68 million through our interventions over the past 2 years.
- Promotion of dual purpose tree based fodder species like drumstick and Seedless Subabul enhancing availability of biomass and better nutrition to livestock. 4200 saplings and 2 tons of robust variety fodder seeds supplied for cultivation under rain-fed conditions.
- Promoted 5800 farm based (Sheep and goat production, lamb fattening, dairying, value addition activities, etc) and 612 non-farm based micro entrepreneurs in rural areas successfully.
- Empowered rural communities, especially the women in many areas like financial literacy, health and legal awareness.
Dr. B. R. Athani, 53, the founder & CEO, is a development management professional with a career spanning 28 years in:
- Enhancing rural livelihoods
- Livestock production and dairying
- Community mobilisation and institutions
- Sustainable agricultural practices and organic agriculture
- veterinarian and an alumni of Institute of Rural management Anand.
Thematic Focus:
- Marketing Approaches for Development Interventions
- Value addition and Value Chains
- Biodiversity/Natural Resource Management
- Institutional Framework / Producer Collectives
Key Skills:
- Project Management
- Working with Value Chains in agricultural produce
- Community Enterprise Design and Management Services
Dr. B R Athani
Founding Farmer
Awards
