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K.V. Kurmanath

Hyderabad , Nov 4

HOW to create a USP (unique selling proposition) for farmers that will help them sell their produce directly in the market?

Students of top management schools across the country will ponder over the issue and come out with solutions in a nation-wide contest to be conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad) soon.

Sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, the contest is aimed at picking the best models that can help the farmers in cashing in on the emerging market for quality products.

"We will examine the feasibility of achieving some level of direct marketing for farmers. We will see what can differentiate them and give them an edge. Aspects such as quality, origin, pesticide-free produce or sales among self-help groups are some of the ideas that need to be studied," Dr Daniel J. Gustafson, FAO's Representative to India and Bhutan, told Business Line.

Dr Gustafson said the IIM-A contest would help identify relevant models in this regard.

The contest, christened `Khoj', would be conducted by the students of the institute's Agri Business Programme as part of the second edition of Amaethon (named after the Welsh god of agriculture).

Though the fete is scheduled during January 14-15, the organisers have decided to announce the contest in sometime this month. "This is to give them (the participants) time to study the problem well and prepare models," Prof Vinod Ahuja, Chairperson of Post-Graduate Programme in Agribusiness Management of IIM-A, said.

Amaethon would also include `Shodh', a paper writing contest on real managerial problems faced by the corporates and organisations. Another contest `Sakaar' would seek to provide corporates the best `business plans' for their diversification or fresh business forays

"There are huge opportunities for farmers as the retail revolution unfolded in the country. As the demand for quality agriculture produce increases by the day from the retail chains, there will be pressures on farmers to scale up their activity," Prof Ahuja told Business Line.

"How do we deal with the value chain is very important. Highly fragmented production is yet another challenge. We need to think of management models that can attempt to address the problems," Prof Ahuja says.

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