Tura, Sept 4: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in Garo Hills, coffee farmers were given a portion of the profit generated from the sale of their produces.

The initiative was taken by All Garo Hills Multipurpose Cooperative Society (AGHMPCS), Babadam, and supported by Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) & Coffee Board, Tura.

The event to share the profits with the local farmers was held at Oragitok, West Garo Hills, on Wednesday in which 16 farmers were given a cumulative amount of Rs 1 lakh.

While the money may not seem big, but consider the fact that usually companies and firms don’t pay anything back to the farmers once they procure the local produces from them at a certain price. Understanding this cycle of exploitation by middlemen that keeps the farmers trapped in a cycle of low income and productivity, AGHMPCS decided to distribute a portion of its profits back to the farmers.

During the 2023-24 season, AGHMPCS, through its primary cooperative society Durama MPCS, had procured over 12 Metric Tonnes of coffee from farmers in the region.

The event was attended by West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Jagdish Chelani, who commended the cooperative’s efforts in transforming the region’s agricultural landscape through sustainable practices.

Md. Sun Mohammad Ali, Senior Liaison Officer of the Coffee Board Tura, provided valuable insights on improving productivity and shared best practices for farmers to achieve better returns.

Secretary of AGHMPCS, Fr. Sunny Joseph Maville, emphasized the importance of farmers joining the cooperative movement to break free from the exploitation of middlemen and secure a better future. He also expressed gratitude to the government for its instrumental role in enabling such developments.

He further informed that Meghalaya would soon become a major coffee production hub in the region with the government panning to dedicate 1000 hectares for coffee plantation.

Established in 2021, AGHMPCS has made significant strides and now has over 5,000 farmers associated with it across various capacities. As the apex body for more than 30 Primary Cooperative Societies in the region, AGHMPCS is a testament to the power of cooperative efforts.

The government, through MBMA, has played a key role in nurturing organizations like AGHMPCS. It is crucial that such initiatives continue to receive government support to ensure sustainable and meaningful change reaches the most disadvantaged communities.

Also Read: KHADC chief Pyniaid Sing Syiem mulls contesting MDC poll from Nongthymmai

Also Watch

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub