April 3, 2009

Kumar Speaks at Fresh Produce India Conference

On April 3, ACDI/VOCA-India Program Manager Krishna Kumar participated as a speaker at the Fresh Produce India Conference, the only fresh produce conference in India and the largest in the region. Kumar, who manages the USAID-funded Implementation Grant Proposal (IGP), spoke at a session titled “New Solutions to the Old Problems,” which outlined innovative approaches to India's traditional supply chain problems. Asiafruit Magazine organized the 2-day conference, which was held in Mumbai and in which 240 industry leaders from 20 different countries participated.

In September 2006, ACDI/VOCA received the $750,000 IGP award to develop information communication technologyinformation and communication technology (ICT)-enabled applications to improve the delivery of private sector training service and the management of fresh-produce supply chains in India. The main project objectives of the program are to integrate large numbers of smallholder horticulture farmers into organized commercial supply chains and facilitate mutually beneficial partnerships between smallholder farmers and major organized retail, wholesale, processor and export buyers while increasing smallholder farm family income.

Under the program, ACDI/VOCA and its partner Infosys developed an ICT-based information dissemination technology solution called freshConnect for horticulture supply chain management. The application helps connect all aspects of the Indian fresh produce supply chain and boosts incomes of smallholder farmers. It was recently recognized as a finalist for a 2008 NASSCOM Innovation Award, one of the most prestigious awards within the IT industry.

To find out more about ACDI/VOCA’s work in India, click here.