The World Bank supported APART (Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project) which began operation from October 2017 in the State has been able to create an agri-growth momentum thereby achieving its original objective.
The project is being executed by Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services (ARIAS) Society. The project’s term was to end in September this year; however, it received a one-year no cost extension, allowing it to complete its ongoing activities.
“In the last seven years of APART, the project has been able to give a direction to the State’s agricultural sector through its innovative ways of functioning by adding value and improving resilience of selected agriculture value chains, focusing on smallholder farmers and agriculture-entrepreneurs,” said Virendra Mittal, State Project Director of ARIAS Society, while talking to Asom Barta.
The project activities are implemented by eight-line departments of the Assam Government with Agriculture being the prime department.
Mittal said that APART project has made remarkable progress in boosting agricultural productivity and promoting rural development in the State. “By increasing farm incomes, and encouraging sustainable farming practices, enhancing market access, the project has effectively reshaped the agricultural and rural landscape of the State,” Mittal claimed.
The project has taken up a clusters and value chain approach. The project has been supporting integrated development of climate resilient production clusters of the priority value chains in the project districts. Climate-resilient production clusters have been identified for project commodities based on specific criteria of acreage (in case of crops), number of animals (piggery and dairy value chains), water area (fishery), etc.
Apart from a tie-up with ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) and Assam Agricultural University, APART has collaborated with two major international agri and its allied subjects research organisations of the Manila headquartered International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Kenya- based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).
“Both these institutes have played key roles in their respective fields for product enhancement in the State”, said Mittal. He added that IRRI has introduced a stress-tolerant rice variety under the project in nearly five lakh hectares of land in flood-prone areas. “IRRI has also conducted various demonstrations using a cafeteria approach, introducing local farmers to new rice varieties, which has led to increased production and productivity.”
APART has a potato seed village programme which works towards increasing production and productivity in the potato chips industry. “The project has attained some success by making potato chips from locally produced potatoes. This variety of potato is different from the traditional potato produced in the State,” Mittal informed this newsletter.
He told this reporter that over ₹3,000 cr have been invested to support agri enterprise clusters under the project. An agri enterprise cluster is an area of geographic concentration of agricultural enterprises in project districts to increase competitiveness, revenue and employment growth. A total of 2,336 entrepreneurs, including 952 women (40%), have received support for entrepreneurship development through this project.
APART project’s achievements under the infrastructure development include strengthening rural agricultural markets, up-gradation of warehouse godowns and rehabilitation of last mile rural roads. Like modern markets and the implementation of innovative farming methods, unlocking of agricultural value chains enhancing farmers’ incomes and enabling Assam’s agricultural produce to reach other states and countries.
Besides, APART’s impact has extended beyond economic gains, Mittal said. “It has also enhanced the social and environmental well-being of Assam’s rural communities. By fostering a more resilient agricultural sector and fortifying rural livelihoods, the project has laid the foundation for sustainable development in Assam,” the APART Project Director said.
