Adding to basket
Honneru group, located in Mysore, Karnataka, is a platform for organic farmers to market their products directly to the consumers. They are promoting agricultural producers, especially from rain-fed regions, mainly North Karnataka (Shimoga, Haveri, Hubli, Gadag, Dharwad, Bellary and Belgaum). Members of the group are designated with roles and responsibilities to carry forward this initiative to reduce the overhead expenses.
Asha, the featured borrower (with hand raised), is married and has a daughter studying in tenth grade. Her husband is working in a garment shop. She has completed a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Education. She has a passion for social work and she is a nature lover, a versatile person altogether. Asha believes in Lal Bahadur Shastri’s words, “Jai jawan, Jai Kisan,” which means “hail soldiers and farmers.”
In 2013 the group opened an organic outlet that has been functioning on its own with minimum working capital. This is the first of its kind: an outlet formed by organic farmers with a social cause. It aims to strengthen the consumer’s beliefs and perception of native and organic products, to directly link farmers with consumers, and to create a niche market for organic produce. By eliminating other intermediaries, farmers get a better (and fairer) value for their produce.
Members (farmers) want to scale up to a national level and to start connecting with farmers across the country. They know their activities will generate more employment for farmers and that they can grow their consumer base because of the healthier properties of the organic products.
Honneru group will use this loan to pay for the promotion of their farmers' platform among other farmers and consumers through showcases, marketing materials, etc.
They hope one day to start a fully organic supermarket.
In this group: Asha, Gananath, Boregouda, Syed, Rachanna, Jagadeesh, Murthy, Mahadeva, Srinivasamurthy
