A Case Study on the Warana Wired Village Project 'Cooperatives Empowers Youth'

Abstract

Warana, a small district of Maharashtra state in India is a well-developed rural area. Much of Warana's success is due to the presence of a strong co-operative movement. About 50,000 farmers live in 100 villages spread in the 25,000-kilometer area covered by the scores of cooperatives. The main economic activity is sugar cane growing and processing. Emerging from the cooperative movement, The Warananagar Cooperative Complex in India has become famous as a precursor of successful integrated rural development, youth using technology. Warananagar Cooperative Complex, with support of Maharashtra state government and Government of India, started a project Warana Wire Project, providing ICT facilities in 70 villages, in turn this has benefited the whole region in general and youth in special. The case study emphasise cooperative efforts using ICT through youth in rural development.