Consultancy and Training Services

Advanced Affordable Projects Enterprise Commitment (AAPEC) is offering a bouquet of services along the entire supply chain in the commodity space with sole objective of promoting Agro-Based Industries, Food Processing Industries including Commercial Enterprises in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries sectors and in broad terms to promote investment in Agriculture and allied sectors. AAPEC shall facilitate enterprises in Agriculture within the State with suitable guidance for Project formulation, Counselling, Enterprise Development and assistance in project implementation in coordination with Odisha Govt. institutions and initiatives taken by them. AAPEC is providing Consulting and Training services under the name “APPEC Consultancy and Training Services (ACTS)”.


The primary objective of the organisation is to promote Commercial Agri Enterprises in the State of Odisha in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Resources Development, Agri Exports, Food Processing and Fisheries sectors. Further, AAPEC shall expand its expertise/services on Pan India basis depending on the requirements and availability of suitable resources in other States.

Agri-sector in Odisha

The agricultural sector is a central pillar of the Indian economy, employing 60 percent of the nation’s workforce and contributing to about 17 percent of its GDP. Productivity remains a challenge, however, and poverty and malnutrition in rural areas remain high. Water shortages, a changing climate, and fragmented land holdings make it difficult for millions of smallholder farmers to feed their families, much less earn a profit from their labour.


Odisha is basically an Agrarian State. More than 83 per cent of its total population lives in rural areas and depends primarily on agriculture for livelihood. The performance of agriculture plays a major role to the State's economy, which determines food and nutrition security of the population and is important for reducing poverty and achieving inclusive growth. In Odisha about 76% of the total working population is engaged in agriculture and agriculture related industries. Odisha is one of the largest producers of Groundnut, Vegetables and rRice in India. The other crops cultivated are: Jute, Oil Seeds, Pulses, Coconut, Mesta, Sugarcane, Tea, Rubber, Cotton, Gram, Mustard, Maize, Sesame, Ragi, Potato, and Soybean. Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Baleshwar and Sambalpur, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Bargarh are the major agricultural hubs of the state.


However, Agriculture in Orissa continues to be characterized by low productivity due to the followings:

• i) Illiterate and ignorant farmers follow traditional agricultural practices

• ii) Lack of Funds leads to inadequate capital formation and low investments.

• iii) Lack of Modernization and Mechanization

• iv) Poor Infrastructure / Lack of Social Amenities.

• v) Absence of Modern Storage / Processing Facilities.

• Slow implementation of Government Policies.

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  vii) Inadequate irrigation facilities and un-economic size of holdings. Nearly 62% of the cultivable land is rain fed and exposed to the vagaries of monsoon. About 80% of farmers in India are marginal (less than 1 hectare) or small farmers (1–2 hectare) category.

Govt. of India along with Govt. of Odisha is working towards the welfare of farmers by implementing various schemes and initiatives. The policies and decision taken by the Govt. in recent years have improved the livelihood of farmers and enhanced production of agricultural commodities. As per new approach, emphasis is given in shifting of India Agriculture towards diversification and commercialization of farm produce along with sustainable technologies. In view of above there is change in approach at the Farm front from Commodity Specific approach to Integrated Farming System (IFS), which is promoted in a large scale to make Farmers, business more remunerative through employment creating and income generating activities.


It is therefore, believed that the Small-scale commercialization at Farmers’ level need to be started from farm men and women with appropriate technological and informative back stopping needs in order to attract a larger number of agripreneurs towards agriculture. Extension functionaries need to be sensitized thoroughly so that they can reach the grassroot level Farm-entrepreneurs and make them aware about Market led extension instead of Production led extension. There is a strong need to build the capacity of the Grassroot level Extension functionaries who in turn would reach the Farmers’ group at village level to motivate and bring the rural youth (both men and women) to the fold of Agri-business Vocations.


To start with we’ve to initiate Specific-area planning thorough survey area-wise on the basis of Commodity-wise surplus produce, Seasonal bumper production, Market demand, Scope for processing and value addition, Skill level, Infrastructure facilities, Vocational groups, Potential producers and processors, Value adders, etc. and then Micro-planning Models are to be developed through Micro-enterprise and Micro-finance in Group Mode Approach.


In order to attract rural youth (both men and women) to Agri-business Vocation, Govt. must focus on Commercialized Extension System at present with top priority given to Small-scale processing, Farm-level processing, Processing at production catchment area with emphasis on women farmers in processing and value addition activities (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Processing), Home-level processing, Processing at a common platform and barcoding, etc. Market Place allotment to the Group of Producers / Growers hold the key for direct marketing to the consumers.

The initial services of APPEC are under 2 Heads (Consultancy & Training):

• Providing Consultancy and Training to the budding and aspiring Entrepreneurs of Odisha.

• Facilitating in creating suitable infrastructure for sustainable farming and commercial farming with profitability.