FPO Impact Awards
Agriculture continues to be a mainstay for the Indian economy, marked by the dependence of approximately half on India’s population for livelihoods. However, a majority of the farmers are Small and Marginal Farmers holding less than 2 hectares of land, while the average landholding in India is dominated by a land size of 1 hectares. Increasingly agriculture has become unprofitable for the vast majority of farmers due to inefficiencies in production and limited access to resources, markets and technology.
Facilitation of farmer collectivization through farmer collectives via FPO (Farmer Producer Organization) formation has been identified as one of the most important strategies towards enhancing farmer livelihoods which is well attuned to the needs and demands of today’s times. The focus on FPO promotion has shifted the narrative of Indian agriculture from subsistence production to formation of ‘value led enterprises’ – empowering farmers through market driven initiatives.
The Government of India formally brought focus on FPOs through the announcement of the Central Sector Scheme, ‘Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs’ in the Union Budget 2019-20. Under this a spurt of activities were undertaken and supported by the apex organisations, viz. NABARD, SFAC, NAFED, and NCDC. Under this the 10000th FPO formation milestone has also been achieved due to vigorous and co-ordinated efforts of all the stakeholders in the FPO ecosystem.
While the vision for FPO promotion relates to making FPOs sustainable and profitable, only a few are doing well on the ground. It therefore becomes critical to identify the small number of FPOs that have continuously pushed the bar and shown exemplary performance, and highlight their accomplishments amongst the sectoral audience with an aim to showcase them as role model FPOs. With this aim, ACCESS Development Services instituted the flagship FPO Impact Awards in 2018. The awards recognize exemplary FPOs which have overcome various challenges to successfully build self-sustaining businesses and contribute meaningfully to their member community. The Impact Awards also aim to recognise and felicitae such FPO Promoting and Enabling Institutions which have played an active role in formulating sustainable and scalable models, incubate innovative solutions and support policy for promoting a conducive ecosystem for the growth of FPOs.
The Awards initiative is a means to provide motivation to exemplary FPOs (registered as Farmer Producer Company under Companies Act 2013) / Cooperative registered on or after 2002) and Promoting Institutions to continue to enhance the livelihoods and incomes of small and marginal farmers, through providing recognition to their efforts. It also serves to enhance the credibility of the winning FPOs thereby making it more competitive among market players and financial institutions.
Submission :
The completed nomination forms as editable file attachment only, and supporting documents must be sent from the email id of either the FPO’s MD/CEO/COO/CFO or an employee of the promoting organisation with complete email signature to:
Categories and Guidelines
For 2025, the awards are announced in the following categories:
Eligibility
- Registered as Farmer Producer Company (under Companies Act 2013), or registered as New Generation Cooperatives registered on or later than 2002 / FPOs in other form
- Must have completed a minimum of 3 Financial Years (FYs)
- Must have made a profit in at least 1 FY out of the immediately preceding past 3 years
- A minimum share capital of at least INR 5 lakhs
- Milk Cooperatives / FPCs are not eligible to apply in this category
- FPO should not have defaulted in filing of ROC return or tax returns/loans/statutory compliance
- Winners of 2 previous rounds of the competition are not eligible to apply
Eligibility
- At least 70% of membership held by women / At least 51% of the Board comprises of women
- Registered as Farmer Producer Company (under Companies Act 2013), or registered as New Generation Cooperatives registered on or later than 2002 / FPOs in other form
- Must have completed a minimum of 3 Financial Years (FYs)
- Must have made a profit in at least 1 FY out of the immediately preceding past 3 years
- A minimum share capital of at least INR 5 lakhs
- Milk Cooperatives / FPCs are not eligible to apply in this category
- FPO should not have defaulted in filing of ROC return or tax returns/loans/statutory compliance
Eligibility
- Must have promoted a minimum of 10 FPOs (registered as FPC under Companies Act 2013)
- The institution should be registered as a Company/Society/Trust
Past Winners
| Category | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| FPO of the Year – Large | Shree Dhari Khedut Krushi Utpadak Ane Processing Sahakari Mandli Limited |
| Murhu Nari Shakti Kisan Producer Company Limited | |
| FPO of the Year – Small | Jaivik Sri Farmers Producer Company Limited |
| Bhu Amrit Farmer Producer Company Limited | |
| Vijayalakshmi Das Friend of Women FPO | Manjiri Sakhi Farmer Producer Company |
| FPO Promoting Institution of the Year | PRADAN |
| Category | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| FPO of the Year – Large (Joint winners) | Banas Farmer Producer Company Limited |
| Pendrani Krushak Producer Company Limited (PKPCL) | |
| FPO of the Year – Small | Pragtimitra North Kannara Farmer Producer Company Limited |
| Vijayalakshmi Das Friend of Women FPO Award | Sampurna Women Crop Producer Company Limited |
| FPO Promoting Institution of the Year | Krushi Vikas Va Gramin Prashikshan Sansthan |
| Jury Special Award for Enabling Institution of the Year | Nabkisan Finance Limited |
| Category | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| FPO of the Year -Large | Vilathikulam Pudur Pulses Producer Company Limited |
| Special Jury MentionFPO of the Year- Large | Maathota Tribal Farming and Marketing Producers Company |
| FPO of the Year- Small | Sasyashri Farmer Producer Company |
| Vijayalakshmi Das Friend- of-Women-FPO Award | Veerapandy Kalanjia Jeevidam Farmer Producer Company |
| FPO Promoting Institution of the Year | Madhya Bharat Consortium of Farmers Producer Company Limited (MBCFPCL) |
| Jharkhand State Livelihoods Promotion Society (JSLPS) |
| Category | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| FPO of the Year (Large) | Giridhan Mahila Producer Company Limited Jay Sardar Krushi Vikas Farmers Producer Company |
| FPO of the Year in Agriculture (Small) | Mayyil Rice Producer Company Limited |
| Vijayalakshmi Das Friend of Women FPO Award | Arogya Millets Producer Company Limited |
| FPO Promoting Institution of the Year | Action for Social Advancement |
| Category | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| FPO of the Year (Large) | Ramrahim Pragati Farmer Producer Company Ltd. |
| FPO of the Year in Agriculture (Small) | Churchu Nari Urja Farmer Producer Company Ltd. |
| Vijayalakshmi Das Friend of Women FPO Award | Murhu Nari Shakti Kisan Producer Company Ltd. |
| Category | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| FPO of the Year (Large) | Ratlam Adiwasi Kisan Producer Company Ltd. SEEDS Farmers’ Producer Company Ltd. |
| FPO of the Year in Agriculture (Small) | Chirayu Women Crop Producer Company Ltd. Kalmeshwara Farmer Producer Company Ltd. |
| Vijayalakshmi Das Friend of Women FPO Award | SUSAG Millets Producer Company Ltd. |
| FPO Promoting Institution of the Year | National Smallholder Poultry Development Trust (NSPDT) |
| Category | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| FPO of the Year in Agriculture (Emerging) | Mandla Tribal Farmers Producer Company Ltd. Banas Farmer Producer Company Ltd. |
| FPO of the Year in Agriculture (Mature) | Krushidhan Producer Company Ltd. Saurshtra Svanirbhar Khedut Producer Company Ltd. Vasundhara Agri Horti Producer Company Ltd. |
| FPO of the Year in Allied Sector | Vanwasi Tasar Kitpalak Prathmik Swablambi Cooperative Society Ltd. |
| FPO Promoting Institution of the Year | Social Education Economical Development Society (SEEDS) |
| Jury Special Award for Enabling Institution for FPO Promotion | Samunnati Financial Intermediation & Services Pvt. Ltd. |
| Category | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| FPO of the Year (Large) | Maahi Milk Producer Company Ltd. Madhya Pradesh Women Poultry Producers Company Pvt. Ltd. Praja Mithra Raithu Mutually Aided Cooperative Federation Ltd. |
| FPO of the Year (Small) | Ramanar Millets Farmers Producer Company Ltd. Bijawar Farmer Producer Company Ltd. |
| Excellence in Market Integration | Somnath Farmers Producer Company Ltd. |
| FPO Promoting Institution of the Year | Action for Social Advancement (ASA) |