A library stocked with ploughs, trolleys and harvesters has come up in Gujarat's Mehsana district for poor farmers who can use the harvesting tools and machines after paying a nominal rent.
The library, launched under the initiative of Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), aims to benefit more than 7,000 farmers across Mehsana's five villages - Vadu, Kaiyal, Ganeshpura, Navapura and Dangarva.
It has been launched in partnership with MasterCard, which has pledged US dollars 50,000 to set up the library, where tractor, plough, trolleys, cultivator, harvesters and other small tools will be made available to poor farmers at nominal rent.
The access to required tools and equipment is expected to help improve their quality of production, enhance skills and ultimately increase their income, a SEWA official said.
The library will be managed by Vanlaxmi Tree Grower Cooperative, which has experience in cooperative farming.
The farmers will be given management training and inputs to increase farm planning, management ability and how to improve their yield and productivity.
"The tools and equipment library is an initiative to empower small and marginal women farmers. It will directly help increase the income, yield and productivity of small farmers and ensure economic, food and livelihood security," said Reema Nanavaty, director for Economic and Rural Development at SEWA.
