Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Mission Special Agri Project (MSDP)
Over half the workforce in the state of Maharashtra is involved in agriculture. The Government of Maharashtra identified agriculture as a crucial sector to focus on enhancing Maharashtra’s future productivity and economic competitiveness.
To achieve socio-economic growth across rural Maharashtra, the government identified that triggering new employment and developing market opportunities across agricultural value chains was critical. It requires investing in skill development and certification on a large scale. The Maharashtra Skills Development Program (MSDP) aims to reach 2.8 lakh farmers through a mass-skilling programme.
Maharashtra Skill Development Program (MSDP): Case Study on Content Development
Reading materials on sustainable agriculture for mass skilling of farmers in Maharashtra have been developed for the entire training programme (Orientation and Bridge sessions). In addition to being provided with the group farming onboarding kit, farmers also receive a workbook during the orientation and bridge sessions. Audio-visual content, especially for the bridge programmes, have been developed to make the training more effective. Qualification Packs (QPs) are embedded concerning group farming and examples of specific crops in the region.