Farmers Club

The Farmer’s Club program (FCP) is a club where all the information will be collected by the farmers from the basic level in their village. This Farmer’s club is organised by the rural bank branches with support and financial help from the

NABARD.

Objectives of the Farmer’s Club

The main objective of the Farmer’s Club program is to build the capacity of farming and proving empowerment to the farming people. Below are the main principles for the farmer’s club program.

The suitable methods of Science and Technology should be selected for using the credit.
Work must be done in a way to increase production and productivity. Work must be done with talented skills.
The additional income that is obtained by the credit must be saved properly.
The instalments of loans should be repaid at the correct time and regularly so that the credit can be recycled.

Core Objectives of the Club

Development of the club through credit.
The technology transfer and the new technology adoption by the farmers will be promoted.
Skill-based training is the most important for farmers, and it will be promoted for others to get knowledge about the training.
Mobilisation of the community.

Secondary Objectives

The income of the farmers will be enhanced, and those facilities will be put into action.
The risk-free environment will be facilitated by the farmers.
IT-based initiatives will be promoted in agriculture.
Ways to enjoy all the benefits of various government schemes will be provided for the farmers.
Business providers and facilitators will be promoted for banks.

Functionalities of Farmer’s Club Program

The main functions of the Farmer’s clubs will be:

Maintain a relationship with the bank to make sure the credit flow among the members is in good condition for maintaining the bank borrower relationship.
To organise and conduct a minimum of one meeting per month, which will vary depending upon the need. In certain cases, there may be 2-3 meetings per month. Non-members are also invited to attend the meetings.
Communicating with the corporate input suppliers for purchasing bulk inputs on behalf of the club members.
To organise many activities like value-adding, processing and farm produce marketing for the benefit of the farmers.
It also facilitates undertaking many socio-economic activities such as community works, education activities, health concern, environment, and natural resources management.

Key Benefits of the Farmer’s Club and bank

Generating new business areas.
Decreasing the non-performing assets and increasing the recovering assets.
Reducing the transaction cost of financial banks.
The facilitation of socio-economic development in all the villages.
Among all these, the Farmer’s club facilitates the welfare measures such as free eye check-up camps, animal health care camps, vaccination camps, some of the community needs like roadways, dams, etc.

Setting up of the Farmer’s Clubs

Any of the banks that are operating in the rural area can organise the Farmer’s Clubs. All the clubs should have a savings account with the bank. The bank can be regional rural banks, cooperative banks, commercial banks. Each of the Farmer’s club can have a minimum of 10 members. There will be no upper limit in the membership. Each club will have two officers, one will be Chief Coordinator, and the other will be Associate Coordinator. These officers will be elected by the Club Members directly on a democratic basis of two years. The officers should be a resident of the area of the club. These officers will have to organise and arrange meetings with the experts, maintenance of Accounts books, cooperating with the bank, maintaining proper communication with the bank.

To join the Membership of the Farmer’s Club

All the village people, except those who have any default. The club should raise its resources and undertake

business services. Members login in the official website Methodology to form the Farmer’s Club by bank branches and join the Club

Bank branches can promote the farmer’s clubs directly, or it can have any agencies link to do the promoting activities like NGOs, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Agriculture Universities, etc.
A group of villages or a particular village is selected which is suitable for launching the clubs in the functional area of the bank.
Leaders of the club are selected as Chief Coordinator and an Associate Coordinator by the members.
And the leaders are given training with the help of NABARD.
Months meetings will be conducted and periodical discussions for taking up the necessary action for running the club.
The members will be encouraged to maintain a membership register, minute’s book, and an accounts register.

Funding from NABARD

NABARD will give financial support for the first three years, and the next two years, the bank will provide the fund directly to the club.

Maintenance of a Farmer’s Club–Rs.3000 per Club for 3 years.
Grant if applicable–Rs.2000 per Club for 3 years.
Inauguration–Rs.5000
Meet with Experts program–Rs.1250 per meet, for 4 meet, for 3 years.

Contact Details

Head office Plot C-24, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, BKC Road, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra-400051. Phone: (91) 022-26539895/96/99

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Farmer's Club Program: Empowering Farmers through NABARD Support.

The Farmer's Club Program (FCP) is an initiative organized by rural bank branches with support from NABARD. Its main objectives are to build the capacity of farmers, promote empowerment, facilitate technology transfer and adoption of new techniques, provide skill-based training, and promote community mobilization.

Any bank operating in a rural area, such as regional rural banks, cooperative banks, or commercial banks, can establish a Farmer's Club. Each club should have a minimum of 10 members, with no upper limit on membership. All village people, except those with loan defaults, are eligible to join.

The Farmer's Club has two elected officers – a Chief Coordinator and an Associate Coordinator. Their responsibilities include organizing meetings with experts, maintaining accounts books, cooperating with the bank, and facilitating proper communication between the club and the bank.

For banks, the Farmer's Club helps generate new business areas, reduce non-performing assets, increase asset recovery, and facilitate socio-economic development in villages. For farmers, it enhances their income, provides a risk-free environment, promotes IT-based initiatives in agriculture, and helps them access government schemes.

NABARD provides financial support for the first three years of a Farmer's Club's establishment. This includes funds for maintenance (Rs. 3000 per club per year), grants (Rs. 2000 per club per year), inauguration (Rs. 5000 one-time), and expert meetings (Rs. 1250 per meeting, up to 4 meetings per year).

The core functions of a Farmer's Club include maintaining a relationship with the bank for smooth credit flow, organizing monthly meetings (and additional meetings as needed), communicating with input suppliers for bulk purchases, facilitating value-addition and marketing of farm produce, and undertaking socio-economic activities like community works and health camps.

The Chief Coordinator and Associate Coordinator of a Farmer's Club are elected by the club members on a democratic basis for a two-year term. These leaders receive training from NABARD to effectively manage the club's operations.

Bank branches can promote the formation of Farmer's Clubs directly or through agencies like NGOs, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and Agriculture Universities. These agencies can assist in the promotion and initial setup of the clubs.

Farmer's Clubs are encouraged to maintain a membership register, minutes book, and accounts register to keep track of their activities, meetings, and financial transactions.

Farmer's Clubs facilitate various welfare measures for the community, such as organizing free eye check-up camps, animal health care camps, vaccination camps, and undertaking community works like building roadways and dams.