On the 5 May 2024, two farmer organizations from Uva Province, Sri Lanka who are engaged in pepper production visited Julampitiya SANASA Cooperative society for a peer-to-peer learning programme. All three farm organizations are affiliated with the Smart farmer programme supported and strengthened by the APFP-FO4A project. The exposure programme was facilitated by SEFEC, the business incubation Division of SANASA International.
Julampitiya SANASA society was supported and trained to organize their member farmers and to improve their productivity and the quality of the crop by SEFEC in 2018-2020 through EFFEC project, a project implemented by SANASA International with the technical support of DID and funding assistance from the Global Affairs of Canada. The society was granted a small-scale dryer and a few pieces of equipment with which the society was able to undertake initial trials of post-harvest processing.
The process was further strengthened with the support provided by SEFEC through the Smart Farmer programme, a smallholder farmer development programme spearheaded by SANASA international with the initial funds from AFA under the FO4A project. The Business Development Team of SEFEC supported the cooperative society in developing a three-year business plan and securing funds to improve their postharvest production process with upgraded machinery. The society is eager to improve its business and become one of the prominent wholesale pepper suppliers in the area.
Badalkumbura farmer organization and Bibila Ambagamuwa farmers organization, from Monaragala district, have also been supported by SEFEC to initiate similar businesses. Both societies were struggling to secure funds due to their informal status. SEFEC with the support of the SANASA federation supported the two societies to acquire registration. With long and continuous lobbying with the Department of Cooperatives in Monaragala District, the Bibila Cooperative society was able to register and acquire funding assistance from the SANASA federation under the Challenge fund (APFP project) to establish a pepper processing centre. Badalkumbura Farmers organization is still awaiting registration and is eagerly waiting to start its pepper processing center.
SEEFC officials from the business incubation team provided an in situ financial advisory and business advisory, while the leaders of Julampitiya cooperative provided a comprehensive awareness of the processes and procedures they undertake in their business operations, the challenges and the opportunities. It was an enriching moment for both societies from Uwa province to be exposed to one of their peers in the same industry. They expressed their eagerness to improve their current business and establish a robust pepper processing business to improve the income of their member smallholder farmers.
The APFP-FO4A project is funded by the European Union (EU) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). It is implemented at the regional level by the consortium Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and La Via Campesina (LVC), and at the national level in Sri Lanka by SANASA International.
This article is originally published by SEFEC.
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