Bayer better life paving a new pathway to empower smallholders’ farmers: A qualitative study

Abstract

As we know that 85% of the farmers in India have less than 1 hectare of land and due to shortage of farm resources, their growth gets impeded. Bayer Better life farming understands their condition and trying every means to improve their life. Hence, they 
provide latest technology, supporting services and disseminate the knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices especially in those areas where infrastructure are fragile. The paper emphasizes that how partnering with public and private organization can 
develop a sustainable ecosystem that empowers smallholder farmers. The BLF has forged collaboration with many MNC and National companies and local partners working relentlessly in the areas of agri-input, irrigation and crop insurance. The study also 
highlighted that how this collaboration helps in identifying the grass root problem of smallholders’ farmers and figuring out the solution to the problem. The study also delves about the multifarious function executed by BLF at the village level. These are 
encouraging food security by providing access to high-quality agricultural inputs, such as seeds, crop protection products and drip irrigation technology, to help produce safe, nutritious and high-yielding crops. They also offer educational training to build 
capabilities, with certification programs that support financial stability through farm management, greater market access and successful entrepreneurship. The run special entrepreneurship programme for female because 75% of the agricultural operations are 
handles by female. The study also focuses about the BLF operation model based on the concept of hub & spoke model and how it generate suffice revenue for their stakeholders. The model is designed in such a manner that it provides impetus to market linkage 
process, a win-win situate for smallholders’ farmer. In nutshell they strongly aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and strive to increase food security and alleviate poverty. They further promote gender equality, sustainable agricultural practices and 
meaningful public-private partnerships.