Pune: The Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), with support from the Walmart Foundation, has launched ProRISE-II (Project on Resilient Incomes for Smallholder Farmers through an Ecosystems Approach, Phase-II) to strengthen the climate resilience, incomes and market opportunities of smallholder farming households across drought-prone and semi-arid regions of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Building on the experience and learning from the first phase, ProRISE-II will expand the programme to 35,000 farming households through 40 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) across five districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The initiative will bring together climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable natural resource management, stronger farmer-owned enterprises, improved market access and digital technologies to support more resilient and sustainable farming systems.
“Smallholder farmers are navigating increasingly unpredictable climate conditions while working to build more secure and sustainable livelihoods. The Walmart Foundation’s support for ProRISE-II reflects our efforts to strengthen the systems that support farmers, from climate-resilient agricultural practices and responsible natural resource management to stronger farmer-owned enterprises and improved market connections. WOTR’s integrated, evidence-led approach and focus on inclusive participation can help FPOs become more resilient, professionally managed and better equipped to create lasting economic opportunities for farming communities,” said Nishant Gupta, Social & Environmental Impact Advisor to Walmart.Org.
Building on Experience from ProRISE-I
The first phase of ProRISE supported more than 11,800 farmers across 11 FPOs in the Solapur, Dharashiv and Jalna districts of Maharashtra. The programme focused on strengthening income resilience and market competitiveness among smallholder farmers in semi-arid regions.
The participating FPOs generated a combined business turnover of ₹44.86 crore. The programme also established 12 groups pursuing Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification, supporting farmers in adopting safer, residue-free and more sustainable farming practices.
Over three years, farmers participating in the project reported an increase in average net income from crop sales from ₹1,57,046 to ₹2,37,184. By comparison, average net income among comparison households increased from ₹1,37,392 to ₹1,90,078 over the same period.
Among sampled project farmers, 76 per cent reported adopting improved crop varieties or climate-resilient practices while 55 per cent reported reducing pesticide and chemical spray use. Across the 11 participating FPCs, 32 buyers are now engaged, and 52 products form part of a new branded portfolio.
An Integrated Approach to Resilient Farming and Farmer-Owned Businesses
ProRISE-II will help farmers build resilience through improved soil and water management, micro-irrigation, sustainable farming practices and access to bio-inputs. It will also strengthen FPO leadership, governance and business capabilities, while improving opportunities for aggregation, value addition, market access and the use of digital tools.
The programme will generate evidence and practical learning on gender-responsive governance, agroecological practices and sustainable agribusiness models. These insights are intended to contribute to policy dialogue and help FPOs, partner organisations and other support agencies strengthen and replicate effective approaches to climate-resilient agriculture and farmer-owned enterprises.
“Building climate resilience among smallholder farmers requires strengthening both their livelihoods and their ability to make decisions about the future of their farms. This includes ensuring that women have a meaningful role in FPO leadership and decision-making, alongside helping farmers access better markets, build viable businesses and manage the natural resources they depend on. Strong Farmer Producer Organisations can bring these priorities together, enabling farmers to act collectively and become better equipped to deal with climate and market uncertainties. The support of the Walmart Foundation will help us deepen this work and extend its reach to more farming communities across Maharashtra and Karnataka,” said Sandip Jadhav, Director, WOTR.
What ProRISE-II Aims to Achieve
By the end of the project, ProRISE aims to support 30 FPOs across Maharashtra and Karnataka to become more climate-resilient, market-oriented and professionally managed farmer-owned enterprises. The programme will seek to improve incomes while promoting natural resource conservation and gender inclusion.
Evidence and learning from the programme will help inform broader approaches to climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable agribusiness and inclusive FPO development, including models that could be adapted for other climate-vulnerable regions in India.