Farmers Clubs
The Highrange Development Society (HDS) in Idukki, Kerala, actively promotes the formation of Farmers Clubs in collaboration with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). These clubs are established in villages following NABARD's guidelines and play a pivotal role in revitalizing agriculture. They organize training sessions on manure preparation and various farming techniques to enhance agricultural practices.
To date, HDS has facilitated the formation of 20 registered Farmers Clubs. These clubs focus on uplifting women farmers, rejuvenating agriculture, sharing resources, and learning new agricultural techniques. Each club receives an annual grant of ₹10,000 from NABARD to support their activities.
Additionally, HDS organizes study tours for Farmers Club members. For instance, a two-day tour was organized for 50 farmers from 20 clubs to visit the Mannuthy Agricultural University, where they were introduced to various seeds, seedlings, and agricultural machinery. The tour also included visits to the Jackfruit Processing Centre at Naduvattam and the Anakkayam Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Malappuram.
These initiatives by HDS aim to empower farmers through knowledge sharing, resource pooling, and financial support, thereby contributing to the overall development of the agricultural community in the Highrange region.