Note on Extension Education Institute, Hyderabad and MANAGE has planned to organize a five day collaborative online training programme on Strengthening Post Harvest Management in agri and allied sectors through Farmer Producer Organizations from 24th – 28th June, 2025 in ECHO Platform at Extension Education Institute, Hyderabad

Post-harvest management and value addition, especially when implemented through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), are crucial for the agricultural and allied sectors. They reduce losses, enhance quality and nutritional value, increase farmer income, and create market access, ultimately boosting food security and supporting sustainable agriculture. FPOs, by enabling farmers to collectively manage post-harvest processes and add value to their produce, overcome challenges faced by individual small-scale farmers.

Here's a more detailed look at the importance:

1. Reducing Post-Harvest Losses: Post-harvest losses are a significant problem in the agricultural sector, leading to wastage and economic losses for farmers.
   • FPOs can facilitate proper handling, storage, and transportation of agricultural products, minimizing losses due to spoilage and damage.
   • By adopting efficient post-harvest techniques, FPOs can preserve the quality and nutritional value of produce, ensuring it reaches consumers in a fresh and safe state.
2. 2. Value Addition: Value addition involves transforming agricultural products into more marketable and profitable forms. FPOs can enable farmers to process their produce, such as making jams, pickles, juices, or other processed food products. This reduces reliance on selling raw produce at lower prices and allows farmers to capture a larger share of the market value.
3. Increasing Farmer Income: By reducing post-harvest losses and adding value to their produce, FPOs can help farmers increase their incomes. They can also facilitate access to better market prices and opportunities, particularly for smallholder farmers.
4. Enhanced Market Access and Export Potential: FPOs can provide farmers with access to organized markets and trade networks, including export opportunities. By pooling resources and adopting standardized practices, FPOs can increase the volume and quality of their produce, making it more attractive to buyers. .
5. Food Security and Economic Growth: Efficient post-harvest management and value addition contribute to food security by ensuring that more produce is available for consumption and reducing wastage. It also stimulates economic growth by creating jobs in the food processing and marketing sectors and increasing farmers' incomes.
6. Role of FPOs in Post-Harvest Management: FPOs provide a platform for farmers to collectively manage post-harvest processes, sharing resources and expertise. They can invest in infrastructure, such as cold storage facilities and processing equipment, to improve post-harvest handling and value addition. FPOs can also provide training and technical support to their members on best practices for post-harvest management. In conclusion, post-harvest management and value addition through FPOs are essential for the sustainable development of the agricultural and allied sectors, contributing to food security, economic growth, and improved livelihoods for farmers. Objectives of the training

By the end of the training the participants will be able

1. Equip the participants with the knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to promote the Post-Harvest Management in Agri& Allied sectors through FPOs
2. Apply the knowledge and skills in Post-Harvest Technologies in Agri& Allied sectors through FPOs
3. To gain the knowledge on Registration, packaging, branding and IT enabled marketing of agri and allied products and establish strong market linkages for FPOs
4. To promote Export of Agri& Allied products for Profitable Agriculture through FPOs
• Infrastructure and technologies for post-harvest operations through FPOs
• Produce handling and packaging for market appeal enhancement by the FPOs
• Backstopping FPOs by NABARD for post-harvest management
• Secondary Agriculture, historic foot prints to Modern practices with the FPOs
• Primary Processing

Keeping this in view Extension Education Institute, Hyderabad and MANAGE has planned to organize a five day collaborative online training programme on Strengthening Post Harvest Management in agri and allied sectors through Farmer Producer Organizations from 24th – 28th June, 2025 in ECHO Platform . During the inauguration, the training program was inaugurated by Dr.Yakadri, Director of Extension, PJTAU and Dr. M. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Director, EEI. While introducing about the importance of training programme being organized in collaboration with MANAGE, Hyderabd, Dr.M.Jagan Mohan Reddy, Director, EEI emphasized the importance of FPOs for over all and sustainable development of Agriculture. He has requested the trainees to support FPOs for their excellence in promoting post-harvest management. Dr.Yakadri, Director of Extension, PJTAU while speaking on the occasion, informed the participants about the scenario in which most of the commodities are being wasted after harvest. This necessitated us to create awareness on post harvest management and value addition in order to cut the waste and also create good market for value added products, which in turn bring profits to the farmers. Dr.Yakadri has appreciated the efforts made by EEI in collaboration with MANAGE for scheduling wonderful programme to suit the needs of participants. Content covered in the programme was- Role of FPOs in enhancing value through improved post-harvest management, Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) for post-harvest efficiency for FPOs, Role of APEDA in strengthening post-harvest management through FPOs, Infrastructure and technologies for post-harvest operations through FPOs, Produce handling and packaging for market appeal enhancement by the FPOs, Backstopping the FPOs by NABARD for post-harvest management, Secondary Agriculture, historic foot prints to Modern practices with the FPOs, Primary Processing and value addition by FPOs, Market readiness and market linkages through FPOs, Logistics and supply chain optimization by the FPOs, Extension strategies to promote post-harvest management by the FPOs, Post-Harvest Management and Value Addition in Dairy sector by the FPOs, Post-Harvest Management and Value Addition in Fisheries sector by the FPOs, GOI Programes and schemes in Agri and Allied Sectors and stress management. On the occasion of valediction,  A day before closure of the programme, Sri. N. Sevam, Joint Director from Govt of India has visited EEI and addressed the participants. While speaking on the occasion Sri. Sevam has appreciated the participants for registering the programme in big number and said that the programme is relevant to find conditions. He has also appreciated the organizers for planning good programme involving eminent speakers During valedictory, Dr.M.Jagan Mohan Reddy, Director, EEI felt that, Post harvest losses in our country are equal to GDP of many of the countries, if we wont address this it will effect food and nutrition security of the country. We have to understand why this catastrophic situation is prevailing. We need to address storage, transport aspects of commodities. One of the important activities of value addition and value chain is based on consumer preference, he added. Food safety standards, branding and quality is also important in the process. Most of the exports the developed countries are thoroughly structured for quality standards. Hence it is high time to minimize post harvest losses to increase farmers income and correcting nutritional security of globe. The onus is on middle level extension officers to utilize the services of FPOs formed village level. They have to facilitate collective marketing and address the important activity of Post harvest management and value addition. He has requested all the participants to organize training programmes to create awareness in this direction. During the feedback, the participants expressed that, an excellent programme organized on Post harvest management through FPOs. To enhance rural livelihoods. The DOs and DONTs became very clear in the programme in mentoring FPOs. The speakers were meticulously selected and the programme is highly useful. Seventy five (75) middle level extension officials of Dept. of Agril, Dairy Development, Animal Husbandry, Sericulture, Forestry, NGOs, SAUs of  Tamilnadu, AP, Telangaana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab  states were attended the training programme, which was coordinated by Dr. K. Madhu Babu, Professor, EEI, Hyderabad