The Bihar Cooperative Marketing Federation organised a state-level cooperative conference in Patna, Bihar from February 22 to 24. The theme of the conference was the Role of agriculture and cooperation in doubling farmers’ income, in line with targets set by Central and State governments in India on doubling farmer’s incomes by 2022.

Mr. Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, opened the Conference, setting the objective for discussions on cooperatives’ contributions to farmers’ income. In 2002, as the Agriculture Minister of Bihar, Mr. Kumar supported the Multistate Cooperative Societies Act, and the demand for more autonomy to cooperatives. He reiterated his support to the cooperative movement, and to cooperators, noting their important role in environmental and social sustainability, and the rural economy in India. The Government of Bihar has supported the cooperative movement by enabling the formation of Primary Agricultural Cooperatives (PACs), which have 35% reservation for women. PACS have also been strengthened with a grant fund of Rs. 15 lakhs for computerisation and purchase of agricultural machinery.

Dr. Prem Kumar, Agriculture Minister of Bihar; Mr. Rana Ranjit Singh, Cooperative Minister of Bihar; Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, President, National Cooperative Union of India; Dr. U. S. Awasthi, Managing Director, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited; and other Ministers and Cooperative Leaders in India engaged in the three-day Conference. Over 6,000 cooperators from Bangladesh, India and Kenya took part in the discussions on the how cooperatives could double farmer’s income. Elected representatives from 3,500 of the 8,500 newly elected PACs in Bihar and farmers and leaders from the farming community participated in the Conference. Issues on good governance, business development, collaboration, innovation and competition were discussed between the multiple stakeholders.