Chennai: Despite the severe distress caused by the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, TAFE’s Free Tractor Rental Scheme under its popular JFarm Services platform, made it possible for thousands of small and marginal farmers of Tamil Nadu to continue with their agricultural operations in an uninterrupted manner. The scheme received an overwhelming response from the farming community and within 60 days, over 1,55,000 hours of free tractor and farm implement rental services were provided, cultivating over 1,03,000 acres.
TAFE offered its 19,000 Massey Ferguson and Eicher tractors and 33,500 implements on a
“free-of-cost” rental basis to small farmers owning two acres or less. Against the estimated coverage of 50,000 farmers in Tamil Nadu, the scheme covered 64,000 farmers. High-demand implements like cultivator, disc plough, duck-foot cultivator and rotary tiller were widely used by the farmers under the scheme.
This CSR initiative by TAFE aimed to rescue the farming community from the economic implications of COVID-19, and mitigate the impact of the Corona virus threat on farming operations of small and marginal farmers during the critical Rabi harvest and Kharif preparation season.
The Honorable Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu,
Thiru. M.R.K. Panneerselvam said “The TAFE JFarm Services free tractor rental scheme played a key role in helping small and marginal farmers continue farming operations during the second wave of the COVID outbreak. Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare’s initiative to partner with TAFE helped in providing timely support and benefited around 64,000 farmers and cultivated over 1,03,000 acres.
I am particularly glad that scheme focused on needy farmers with land holding of less than around
1 acres, as per the direction provided by me.”
Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & Managing Director – TAFE, said, “TAFE thanks the Government of Tamil Nadu for all the support provided in the JFarm Services – Free Tractor Rental Scheme that we offered to the small farmers of Tamil Nadu. We have been given an opportunity to serve the small and marginal farmers at this critical juncture, and at the same time, play a role in enhancing the revenue of farmers through a direct benefit system, which has been welcomed by both, the renter farmers and the small farmers.”
TAFE successfully implemented this scheme for the small and marginal farmers with the administrative support of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Department. With this unique and noble initiative, TAFE aspires to uplift the Indian farming community by supporting their livelihood, and reaffirms its commitment and solidarity towards the farmers of Tamil Nadu.
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