A Study on Capacity Building of Board of Directors of Farmer Producer Organisations [Fpo’s] In Western Maharastra

Abstract

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) are member-based collective enterprises that are pivotal in sustainable agribusiness and poverty alleviation. However, many of these organizations face challenges in professional management. The study measures the capacity building needs, existing competencies and training gaps of the FPO Boards of Directors (BoDs) in Western Maharashtra. A descriptive-cum-diagnostic (ex-post facto) research design was used and data was collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and a structured questionnaire administered to 650 respondents from five districts of Western Maharashtra selected by multi-stage stratified random sampling. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test of association were used to analyze the data.  The governance foundations were sound, with strong democratic practices and grassroots participation. Leadership is still concentrated among older, male members, with limited participation of younger farmers and women. Only 28.62% of the respondents had formal training and 62.46% rated the existing training as inadequate. Directors showed strong operational and planning skills but weaker capabilities in business plan writing, digital marketing, and financial analysis. Over 80% of FPOs were not profitable, and a significant association was found between self-driven FPO status and productivity (, ). Practical  The findings support modular, context-sensitive, hands-on capacity-building programmes over generic, one-size-fits-all training, with priority given to business planning, digital marketing, and financial management, alongside deliberate efforts to broaden leadership participation among women and younger farmers.