
Centre for CDC and CDCD > Stories of Change > SJS Apple project, India

Interview with Mr L.P. Semwal, SJS, India

: L.P. Semwal

'If you're doing business with a social incentive, the social aspect becomes commercial.'

The Indian based organization Shri Jagdamba Samiti focuses on doing business with a social incentive. ‘It works both ways’, according to director Laxmi Prakash Semwal. ‘It’s inspiring because our model works. It’s doing business and helping the community, all at the same time’. In brief our model aims at ‘Doing business with social concern and developing societies with business thinking’.

: The Uttarakhand area

Cooperation

The organisation Shri Jagdamba Samiti is based in Uttarakhand, in the Himalayas in North India, and was set up in 1991. They launched an ‘Apple project’ for farmers. This project is an initiative of Stichting Het Groene Woudt in the Netherlands and the Dutch company Fresh food Technology (FFT) and Shri Jagdamba Samiti, Semwal explains. ‘We are working with small and marginal farmers on the theme ‘empowerment through ownership and business model development’.

Semwal knows that small farmers in a market-oriented agribusiness get further marginalised mainly due to the dominance of middlemen. Those chains of well-organised intermediaries control the entire process. That’s why Semwal tried to bring farmers together in a joint venture (together with Fresh food Technology), in order to build a strong cooperation and fight for better prices.

: Farmers involved in SJS

The Apple project consists of four decentralised apple collection centres. Farmers are encouraged to join the cooperative, through which they can process and sell their produce jointly at better prices. ‘At first the farmers weren’t convinced that our model would work’, says Semwal. ‘Farmers weren’t that enthusiastic. We were perceived as ‘the enemies’. In 2006 approximately 500 farmers joined us. The programme wasn’t perceived to be realistic, according to the local farmers. But the model proved to be exceptional. And nowadays roughly 2400 farmers are involved.’

: ALCS in progress

Building a bridge

The goal of the Apple project is to facilitate a process of empowerment among small-scale apple farmers in order to promote sustainable socio-economic development. ‘Our model works. Rather than to establish leadership, the farmers are building their own company. This gives them more responsibility. And new trust. It’s like building a bridge.’

In April 2009 Semwal implemented the joint Action Learning Case Study with Context. About 30 people joined the workshop. ‘The farmers - after this workshop - really felt that they own the company. Their perception changed. They now have more respect for themselves, because of what they have accomplished. I think that is a big achievement.’

This kind of change through participation makes it possible to shift the power centre, says Semwal. ‘This for me was the most exciting thing to experience during and after the Action Learning Case Study.’

: Women joining in the ALCS

He explains what happened after the workshop. ‘Immediately after the workshop a group of women raised the question why our programme is only suited for men. They want a programme that focuses on women only.’

Semwal was surprised in a positive way by this suggestion. ‘Indeed I am. Though I still question whether in the end their suggestion will come to pass.’ It seems that the centre has an empowering effect on women. It was noted that women were for the first time participating in public meetings, and daring to speak up in public.

Semwal himself was born on a farm. ‘We had a mixed farm, like so many in India. Paddy, cows, even apples. It was located in a small village called Bhatgoan. About 600 people live in that village.’

Enduring change

Sometimes the question is raised to what extent the Apple project is truly civic-driven. Semwal: ‘The only thing I know for sure is that our model works. If you’re doing business with a social incentive, the social purpose becomes commercial at the same time. I believe that economic empowerment alongside social interventions brings about enduring change.’

Still Laxmi needs help. ‘We don’t know how to explain the model to the academic world or researchers. I am hoping that Context can help us explaining our model.’

Apple Project SJS featured in the Better India

The Better India is a website attempting 'to bring out the happy stories, the unsung heroes and heroines, the small good deeds happening across India and showcase them to the world'. It has also published an article on the ALCS conducted with SJS. Click on this link to read the article about the Apple Project.