A visionary par excellence
Mr. Vilas Shinde, founder and chairman of Sahyadri Farms at Nashik, leads the country's largest Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) with 25,000 farmers. After a pilgrimage to Shirdi, I had the golden opportunity to meet him at his corporate office , and the two hours I spent there was truly a remarkable experience. Mr.Shinde's story is compelling; after completing his agricultural engineering degree, he wanted to venture into full time farming . Realizing the challenges faced by smallholder farmers with only 2-3 acres of land, he formed an FPO with just 10 farmers. Today, over 25,000 farmers and more than 25,000 acres of land are part of this organized cultivation initiative. During our conversation, what struck me profoundly was Mr.Shinde's perspective on the treatment of farmers in our country. He emphasized that farmers shouldn't always rely on subsidies and should be regarded as entrepreneurs. His vision aims to transform the lives of farmers, ensuring