About the author: Puja Kala, a student of SKUAST, Jammu, shares how she contributed towards bridging the gap between farmers and buyers.

While I was browsing the internet to search for an experience that would add to my resume, I discovered Internshala – an online internships platform which gave me the perfect opportunity to work from home. I was interested in working for social welfare, so I started searching for an opportunity that would help me do so. I came across a month-long internship at Kheti-Badi, an organisation that worked in the agricultural sector and helped farmers connect with buyers online, and applied for it.

Soon after I applied, I received a call from the founder of the organisation for a telephonic interview. He asked me if I had any previous experience of working in the field of agriculture since the internship focused on establishing rapport with farmers and strengthening the buyer-supplier relationship, to which I replied in the affirmative. I was then asked to provide a brief background of my knowledge of agriculture sciences. Next, he questioned me about the marketing aspects of agriculture and agricultural produce. He also enquired about my qualifications and how I planned on managing time for the internship.  A few days later, they informed me that I was hired for the internship.

 

On my first day, I learnt the basics of the farming community in the region and how the organisation created marketing potential for them. I was responsible for establishing a direct link with farmers via an online platform as well as conducting agricultural research. Based on this research, I wrote articles and papers on topics such as ‘Why traditional farming practices are diminishing in the state of Uttarakhand.’ Along with this, I learnt the use of Voice Over IP calling platform to further disseminate the information on company objectives and establish a direct contact with farmers. I pitched the concept of Kheti-Badi to the farmer and briefed them about the company, the registration procedure, and the benefits they would get by selling their produce online. I also enquired whether their produce was organic or inorganic for future references.

 

This internship helped me enhance my research and writing skills along with my relationship management skills. During my stint, I came across a farmer who had organic produce but was unable to sell his produce due to lack of access to the market. I realised that most farmers in rural areas face similar situations, and through this internship, I took a small step towards helping them.

 

I completed my internship and decided to extend it since I wanted to learn more about the market enterprise and make improvements in the situations faced by farmers in our country. Presently, I’m involved with the marketing aspect of the company, focusing on agriculture and rural marketing.

 

Courtesy: Internshala, an internships and trainings platform (internshala.com)