Silvex
Silvex is a large company focusing on rice farmers with about 32,000 farmers in its value chain.
The company provides free but relevant training and technical support to the farmers. Furthermore, it offers them flexible loan repayment terms with a markup of 6 per cent over the total farming cycle. In addition, Silvex ensures off-take for at least half the harvest at the prevailing market price.
The suite of support enables the company to increase farmers’ income by three to four times in the last five years. Silvex also adopted climate-smart and regenerative agriculture practices that use less water-consuming rice seedlings. Furthermore, the company set up a women empowerment programme by adding a business line for parboiled rice in which all revenue goes to the women. The business line engages at least 4,000 women.