Walmart announces $1.2 million grant to Transform Rural India Foundation

On Thursday, the Walmart Foundation disclosed a substantial grant of $1.2 million (approximately Rs 10 crore) to the Transform Rural India Foundation. The funding aims to elevate the livelihoods of 15,000 women rural farmers in Uttar Pradesh by augmenting their average base income.

The grant will be allocated to a two-year project, primarily focused on establishing ten self-sustainable women-led Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). Additionally, it will create a platform for women farmers to fortify and diversify their livelihoods, according to a statement from the foundation.

"This project strongly resonates with our commitment to reach 1 million farmers by 2028 with at least 50 per cent women. This investment will broaden our outreach to more women in rural areas and solidify our impact by promoting sustainable increase and unlocking additional sources of income," Walmart Foundation Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer, Julie Gehrki said.

The project outlines assistance for FPOs in developing business plans, post-harvest infrastructure, and establishing essential systems such as digital bookkeeping and management control. The grant will also facilitate training and capacity-building sessions for women farmers, underlining the adoption of climate-resilient practices like soil health improvement, organic crop nutrition, and water management.

Furthermore, the initiative includes the establishment of a 'Krishi Value Hub' to engage in processing activities for identified buyers. This involves creating white-label goods that other companies can sell under their brands, along with the deployment of an enterprise resource planning system. The grant's interventions encompass various value chains, including pulses, cereals, horticulture crops, as well as poultry, fisheries, and goat rearing.

Anish Kumar, Managing Director of Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF), expressed gratitude for the Walmart Foundation's grant. TRIF plans to support 15,000 women in productive roles within the FPOs, leveraging self-help groups promoted by the Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), a government program, as mentioned in the statement.

(With PTI inputs)