Empowering Rural Lives: Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Class of 2016, and the Transformative Journey of Gramshree in Elevating Tribal Farmers through Sustainable Marketing Strategies

Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Class of 2016, shares his story of founding Gramshree that helps marketing produce of tribal farmers.

Agriculture is a backbone of the Indian economy. However, the farmers scramble to make enough to survive. After working in the development sector over a decade, I realised that marketing farm produce needs focus to help farmers in tribal and rural areas come out of poverty. I was determined to make an impact in their lives through value chain intervention on minor forest produce.

Gramshree works with the Grashiya Tribes to get the better price of custard apple by establishing fruit collection centre in Tribal villages. We have a mini-processing unit with cold chain, packing and transportation facilities to keep the fruit fresh. It helps in creating seasonal employment for women in the processing unit during June and July and October and November helping them earn an extra INR 5000 to INR 10000/. 

Anita Grashiya has been working as a Sub-Centre Incharge in one of our processing units for the past two years. With the money she earned, she paid for her college education and is proud of the fact that she could self-fund. Without Gramshree’s opportunity, she would not have been able to pursue higher education.

Gramshree has now expanded its work by collaborating with farmer producer organisation and other community institutions. So far, we have impacted the lives of 1,500 Tribal families in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.