Centre selects AP with others implementation of MACP

Hyderabad, May 2 (UNI) The Union Government today selected Andhra Pradesh for implementation of Multi-State Agricultural Competitiveness Project (MACP) along with Rajastan, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu with the assistance of World Bank.

This project was proposed to those states which had made amendments to the 'Markets Act', as part of market reforms in this country which was a pre-requisite. Since Andhra Pradesh has brought amendments to the Markets Act in 2005, it was selected for the MACP.

Accordingly, the state government had given its assent for undertaking and implementation of the project yesterday.

The objectives of the MACP were, development of more competitive marketing systems and improved market access to farmers through enhanced knowledge and effective producer organisations, increased efficiency and reduced costs in the marketing chain to the benefit of producers and consumers.

The MACP also suggested increased small and medium entrepreneurial investment in agriculture and more effective use of public funds for the extension of applied research and investment schemes.

The important components of the project were expanding market infrastructure and opportunities, increased farmer access to market and facilitating intensification or diversification of production.

The project covers the activities of diversifying marketing channels, improvement of existing marketing systems, fastering agri-business development, expanding market information, improving the regulatory frameworks, strengthening supply chains, market extension systems through the concept of Agricultural Technology management agency (ATMA) and piloting risk management mechanism.

The nodal agency for implementation of the project at National level was the National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM) Jaipur. The project preparation was in the preliminary stage.

Specific attention was focused in the project to protect the interests of small and marginal farmers and the tenant farmers.

UNI