Overview

Participatory Rural Development Initiatives Society (PRDIS) is a registered and reputed professional National Level Development Organization (NGO) established during the year 1999 operating from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Participation, Partnership and Empowerment are the guiding principles of PRDIS. It has been working on the areas of Sustainable Agriculture, Agri-business, rural development and Natural Resource Management. This organization has also been providing consultancy services to the Central Government various State Government, Agro Based Industries, international Development Agencies on Field activities, Monitoring, Evaluation studies, base line survey and capacity building activities concerning with Sustainable Agriculture, Agribusiness and Rural Development issues.

Dr. S.V.Reddy, The chief functionary of the organization has served in various capacities, ranging from Professor of Agricultural Extension in ANGR Agricultural University to special assignments as Advisor (Agricultural Extension) to the Government of Uganda and Consultant to the World Bank and FAO in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. He is assisted in this endeavor by 15 full time professional staff and senior consultants, 31 part time staff and consultants, 70 Field staff and 8 support staff, incurring an expenditure of Rs. 100 lakh annually.

In addition to Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, India, PRDIS has also been involved in implementation of projects in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Pondicheery. It has also been invited as resource organization to implement Farmer Field Schools (FFS) in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. PRDIS continues to offer Agribusiness consultancy to large scale irrigated rice programme undertaken by J.N. Agritech International Limited, Uganda, East Africa, Bio fuel project of Rusni Bio Fuels company, Organic inputs of Prathista Industries Ltd., Hyderabad, India and to several Agriprenures.

PRDIS since its inception has been focusing its attention on Sustainable Agricultural Development programmes majorly on Productivity enhancement Initiatives with eco friendly technologies with supply chain management with regard to crops such as cotton, sugarcane, maize, paddy and ground nut operating in different states. Of late, more attention is paid on Better Cotton Initiative Programme which is being operated with about 12000 farmers at present and likely to be expanded to about 22000 farmers during 2015. This programme is being operated in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. PRDIS also has been engaged in capacity building programmes of farmers and farm women, Agri clinics and Agribusiness centres programme for unemployed agricultural graduates and Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programmes of rural youth. In addition to organizing public awareness campaigns on Decent Work as well as workshops and seminars on Farmer Rights, Bio technology, Skill development and Agripreneurship.

The staff and consultants have 10-30 years of experience on the concerns of Participatory Approach, Agribusiness, community mobilization, information and communication, Gender, Agriculture, Health, Education and Natural Resource Management including Irrigation and Water Shed Development and Farmer Field Schools (FFS). It has successfully completed water shed programmes as PIA in Boothpur mandal of Mahabubnagar District under APRLP and also acted as resource agency to guide other NGOs in this process. It has branch office at Kothamolagara, Boothpur mandal. Most of the programmes are funded by FAO, DFID, WHO, Ministry of Rural Development, CAPART, GoI, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, MANAGE, A.N.G.R. Agricultural University, Agro Industries etc. The organization has also undertaken District Level Monitoring of Rural Development Programmes by Government of India, Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Baseline and Impact Assessment studies of FAO, IFAD and CAPART, Government of India.

PRDIS is a National Level Monitor (NLM) for Ministry of Rural Development, GoI and it has distinction of having invitation and receiving memento from H.E. the President of India on 15th August, 2006 at Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi for outstanding work in Sustainable Agriculture for working with small scale farmers in Tribal areas. It has also received award for creating public awareness on biodiversity and environment with people participation from A.P. Biodiversity Board.