Empowering Rural Entrepreneurs: TRANSFORM Consortium Hosts 'Access to Finance' Workshop

USAID, in collaboration with Heifer International, Cargill, and the International Poultry Council, organised an "Access to Finance" workshop on January 19, 2023, at the Indian Habitat Centre in Delhi. The workshop was part of their flagship 'Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation' (TRANSFORM) Consortium.

TRANSFORM: A Multisectoral Approach

The USAID-funded TRANSFORM project is employing a One Health approach, recognising the intricate connections between human health, animal well-being, and the environment. The International Poultry Council (IPC), as part of TRANSFORM, is spearheading global change in animal agriculture by uniting industry associations and private sector organisations to promote antimicrobial use stewardship principles.

Voices from the Field

The workshop commenced with a warm welcome from Rina Soni, Executive Director PGPL, followed by an inaugural session led by Annie Kneedler from TRANSFORM, Cargill. Insightful panel discussions focused on backyard poultry farming in states like Odisha and Bihar. Voices from the field, including Sukanti Mohanta and Jayanti Mohanta from Odisha, emphasised empowerment and financial independence through adopting backyard poultry farming.

Paving Sustainable Pathways

The two key panel discussions centered around 'Sustainable Pathways to Empower Communities Through Small Scale Backyard Poultry Farming' and 'Opportunities to Strengthen the Backyard Poultry Value Chain through Access to Finance and Market Linkages.'

Addressing the critical issue of nutrition in rural areas, Dr. Sujit K Dutta, Joint Commissioner, National Livestock Mission, highlighted the government's commitment to providing nutrition across the country. He emphasised the importance of rural entrepreneurs as success stories in this endeavor.

Rashmi Mohanty, Executive Director of Unnayan, acknowledged the evolution of the backyard poultry sector from being largely unorganised to a more structured industry. She applauded the support from government and non-government institutions in empowering rural women through access to resources, biosecurity, and reduced gender disparity.

Saikesh Goud, Founder of Country Chicken Co, shared his journey of making country chicken a household name. With the support of government and non-government institutions, his organisation has thrived, procuring around 300 indigenous species and currently working with approximately 16,000 farmers, while they provide financing and backward linkages.

The "Access to Finance" workshop exemplified the collaborative efforts aiming to transform lives, create financial independence, and strengthen rural communities through sustainable poultry farming practices.