HONNERU (Rural producers’ collective)

HONNERU RURAL PRODUCERS’ COLLECTIVE is a revamped collective that now draws on the availability of local agricultural and horticultural produce and combines this with the knowledge and skills of local rural women and youth. This is an effort to not only generate employment in the village but to also link local production and sustainable agriculture as a decentralised model of production. Produce such as ragi (finger millet), pulses, oil seeds, and herbs that are grown in non-chemical conditions are collected, cleaned, and processed at a centre in Nagavalli. The end result is a range of heritage health foods that are nutritious and tasty. Some of the products include: fresh ragi flour; niger, drumstick, and neem chutney powders, immunitea (herbal drinks); masala powders, coconut and poppy snacks etc.

The Collective consists of women and youth who share the labour and the profits. Currently, the products are sold in select outlets in Mysuru and Bengaluru and online via facebook, Instagram, and email orders.

Ms. Darshan Bawa, a food and marketing specialist, has been a consultant for this endeavour and HONNERU acknowledges her inputs for all the design, marketing and organisational work.

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The post-Covid period has not seen an uptick in the sales of HONNERU products. This is primarily due to the availability of many more ‘organic’ produce online and of our inability to better market the produce and products. We initiated a ‘Local Produce, Local Food’ initiative at the district level and five other groups from the district also joined us. For 2023-24, we hope to revamp our sales initiatives so that atleast the signature products will be sold to the small clientele that we have developed over the past years. Plans are to train more of the local women in processing and cooking the various millets and for them to re-integrate these into the local cuisine and food culture.

Honneru now has a new range of products, all made from organic ingredients and drawing on local recipes. A new team of young women is being trained to carry forward the work. Shraddha Kukkuje is lending support for organizational, production, and sales of HONNERU products. While a few stores stock HONNERU products, sales are conducted via online orders, and during events held in various places. Training the local women in both production of local items and new ones continues. All profits are shared among members and plans are to register HONNERU as a collective or society.