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FarmSakhi: Empowering Rural Women and Sustainable Livelihoods 🌾 From March to June 2024, I led the FarmSakhi pilot venture, focusing on empowering rural women in Warud Taluka, Maharashtra. Our initiative, "FarmSakhi," highlights the strong connection between women and agriculture, aiming to create sustainable livelihoods through value-added products made from locally sourced oranges. Journey Overview: We began by identifying key challenges faced by rural women, such as limited market access and few opportunities to leverage their skills. In response, we developed two innovative products—orange squash and natural peel powder—that were warmly received by the community. Key Achievements: 1. Empowered Women Entrepreneurs:   - Trained local women in production and sales.   - Established sustainable income streams for communities. 2. Innovative Product Development:   - Created high-quality orange squash and peel powder.   - Secured distribution agreements and aligned products with market needs. 3. Community Engagement:   - Formed partnerships with farmers and organizations.   - Promoted sustainable practices and women’s empowerment through effective marketing strategies. Challenges Encountered: - Limited Adoption: Insufficient interest in value-added processing of oranges. - Information Deficiency: Lack of data on value addition and market potential. - Marketing Gaps: Ineffective marketing strategies and promotional efforts. - Market Constraints: Restricted demand for value-added products. - Infrastructure Limitations: Inadequate facilities and resources for production and distribution. Looking Ahead: - Refine strategies and expand the product range. - Explore replication opportunities in other regions. - Strengthen distribution channels and maintain marketing momentum for long-term success. The FarmSakhi pilot project has set the stage for meaningful change, benefiting rural women, local farmers, and the broader community. We are excited about the future and look forward to sharing more updates as our journey continues! 🍊🌿 #FarmSakhi #WomenEmpowerment #SustainableAgriculture #ProductDevelopment #CommunityEngagement #RuralDevelopment #SocialImpact

🌟 𝗔 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻🌟 In collaboration with 𝗕𝗮𝗷𝗮𝗷 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃 𝗟𝘁𝗱., 𝗬𝘂𝘃𝗮 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗮 is implementing the 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 to enhance the livelihoods of rural women. This initiative aims to empower 4,000 women from 40 villages in Sinnar and Akole blocks by providing them with essential skills, resources, and opportunities for economic self-reliance. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: - Provide livelihood support to 4,000 women through goat-rearing enterprises. - Create an ecosystem for sustainable goat-based industries. - Increase the annual income of rural women by 50%. - Develop market linkages through producer organizations. - Set up a processing unit for goat by-products, such as milk, cheese, manure, meat, and leather, through a Producers’ Company. These initiatives aim to foster a sustainable ecosystem, enabling women to achieve economic and social development while contributing to the overall progress of their communities. As part of this initiative, we have launched a 𝗛𝗮𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗮 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲, covering 3,242+ goats across 20 villages in the Samsherpur and Khirvire clusters. The vaccination of remaining goats is ongoing. This drive ensures healthier livestock, secures livelihoods and provides stability for the families involved. Together, we are empowering women to lead sustainable and self-reliant lives. 🐐💪 #WomenEmpowerment #SustainableLivelihoods #GoatFarming #SkillDevelopment

Yavatmal district is known for distressing issue farmer suicides in Maharashtra state. In which agriculture is the main source driving the local economy. Women play a crucial role in agricultural activities; however, they face numerous issues that hamper their productivity and economic empowerment. To solve such problems, it is necessary to increase the collective participation of women in agriculture. Collective effort through women's self-help groups, women's cooperatives, women's farmer producer organizations, etc., gives these efforts more edge and chances of success. Yavatmal district has more than 50000 women self-help groups, but their conversion into collective form and income generation activities is not seen due to which the benefit of women is not satisfied to the desired extent or it is felt to be very insufficient and limited. Despite the potential, Yavatmal has very few self-motivated women-led agricultural production companies/cooperatives. Many established Cooperatives/FPOs have become dormant due to a lack of genuine farmer initiative. Often, these companies were created to meet the annual targets of organizations or government policies rather than emerging from the grassroots needs of farmer women. Consequently, these efforts have not effectively harnessed the potential of women farmers, leaving them behind in collective agricultural advancements. It is evident that farmers' groups, particularly women farmers' groups, are being left behind in collective efforts due to such negative outcomes. In the regards of this, it is crucial for the women of Yavatmal district to engage and take the initiative in income-generating activities at the collective level. To achieve this, Women collective require Community Engagement and Awareness, Policy Implementation and Support, Market Access and Value Addition, Capacity Building and Training, Financial Inclusion and Support. This will assist women farmers to leverage the various projects, plans and policies being implemented at both organizational and government levels. Through these efforts, Yavatmal district can forge a new identity characterized by economic and social and progress. Support is available from individuals, organizations, and the government, from local to national levels, to make these endeavours successful. However, the key to success lies in the SPONTANEOUS INITIATIVE OF WOMEN...!!! #Agriculture #WomenEmpowerment #SustainableFarming #RuralDevelopment #CollectiveEfforts #SelfHelpGroups #FinancialInclusion #CapacityBuilding #MarketAccess #CommunityEngagement #PolicySupport #EconomicGrowth #Yavatmal #Farmers #WomenInAgriculture #AgriculturalDevelopment #GrassrootsInitiatives

Once again, it’s such an honor to be able to amplify the stories of women farmers who become empowered, self/reliant, and more connected to their communities through #agroecology. Read this new piece I wrote for Agorecology Fund about an initiative in India supporting women - many from #farmersuicide households- to challenge social structures and detrimental industrial farming models and instead learn to strengthen local food and agricultural systems via agroecology. The piece includes six videos from the series, Women Farmers Lead the Way, in which women farmers share their direct experiences and knowledge with transitioning to agroecology. ⬇️

As an agronomist and founder of Abuti Spinach, I am passionate about empowering small-scale farmers in Africa through innovative solutions. Recently, I came across an inspiring story about the transformation of agriculture in Odisha's Koraput, which highlights the crucial role of women farmers. Women farmers, who make up 57% of Odisha's agricultural workforce, face unique barriers that hinder their progress, including limited access to markets and resources. The introduction of weekly markets, known as *padwas*, has been a game-changer for these women, providing them with a platform to sell their produce and connect with other farmers. This initiative has not only improved their economic stability but also fostered a sense of community and cooperation. As we strive to create a more equitable and sustainable agricultural sector, it's essential to recognize the contributions of women farmers and address the challenges they face. What can we learn from this initiative, and how can we replicate it in other regions to support women farmers? How can we create more inclusive and accessible markets that empower women to take on leadership roles in agriculture? By sharing knowledge and best practices, we can work together to drive positive change and create a brighter future for small-scale farmers. #abutispinach #Agvocate #AgroDiplomacy 🌾💡🌱[Collection]

🔦 Grantee Spotlight 🔦 Empowerment, Community-Connection and Self-Reliance: Women Farmers Transition to Agroecology in India Agroecology Fund grantee partner, the Society for Promoting Participative Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM) and a key network to which it belongs, the Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch (MAKAAM, Forum for Women Farmers’ Rights), support women—primarily single women with little or no access to land, and sugarcane workers—to transition to #agroecology. This work emphasizes the strengthening of #localfood and agricultural systems with the use of local seed varieties, no chemical inputs and drawing on women’s knowledge. Since its inception in 1991, SOPPECOM has worked at the intersection of water and rural livelihoods. Since 2015 they have been advocating for #womenslandrights and their status in rural Maharashtra, with an emphasis on women from #farmersuicide households. This collaborative effort set out to challenge both existing social structures (caste, patriarchy, ethnicity) and the corporate-controlled chemical intensive agrarian paradigm. To document these efforts, SOPPECOM and MAKAAM interviewed some of the women participants to share first hand their experiences and knowledge. In Women Farmers Lead the Way, the six part video series below, you’ll hear from a ‘lower caste’ or Dalit woman from Beed who shared her sense of pride when upper caste women asked her about her farm and requested seeds from her; a farm widow who saw respect in the eyes of her father-in-law who once scorned her and blamed her for his son’s suicide; a husband who derided the agroecology model but now respects his wife and joins her in her endeavor; and an Indigenous woman who became so convinced about the potential of agroecology that she increased the area of farming with this approach from half an acre to 12 acres, and then influenced others to do the same. Read about this powerful, inspiring work and watch all six videos to hear the impacts it has had on individual women and what that means for scaling agroecology in the region. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gqR8n63d

𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗷𝗽𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗽𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲, 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲.🌱 A recent survey by the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) identified several challenges: a lack of nutrition awareness, supply chain obstacles (e.g., transport associations, market leaseholders), and limited engagement of women in agriculture. To address these issues, the SFSA-led consortium is implementing the Nutrition in City Ecosystems (NICE) project, aiming to improve urban nutrition and health and reduce poverty. As part of this initiative, Innovision Consulting is conducting a survey to understand the limitations and possibilities within the farming systems, livelihoods, and agroecological practices of farmers in Rangpur and Dinajpur. Our team has collected and analysed data from 300 farmers to generate actionable recommendations that align with the project's goals. 📊 Stay tuned for more updates on this impactful study. #SustainableAgriculture #ClimateResilientFarming #UrbanNutrition #beyondpossibilities

"It’s time to recognize and support the incredible potential of women farmers. Let's start with P. Sravani's story." I'm proud to share the inspiring story of P. Sravani, a progressive farmer and entrepreneur from Andhra Pradesh, who embodies the transformative potential of rural India. After completing her BSc in Agriculture and gaining experience in Bangalore, Sravani returned to her village with a vision for change. She began by establishing a dairy and then a small shop, demonstrating her strong entrepreneurial spirit. Sravani's journey took a significant turn when she connected with Green Tree Foundation and Think Good Foundation (TGF). With their support, she launched an innovative agroforestry project on her barren land. Through TGF's flagship initiative, Mission 100 Crore Tree, she received 550 high-quality grafted mango saplings, which she is strategically integrating with millets, vegetables, and pulses. Her farm exemplifies the benefits of sustainable farming. Guided by Shri Gange Shetty of Green Tree Foundation, Sravani champions non-pesticide management, natural farming techniques, and drip irrigation. Her commitment to sustainable agriculture and community development is truly remarkable. We believe investing in women farmers like Sravani, through initiatives like Mission 100 Crore Tree, is vital for creating a greener, more equitable future. I invite CSR heads and organizations to partner with us to amplify this impact. Let’s collectively support small-scale farmers and contribute to a sustainable ecosystem. We also extend our gratitude to Earthday Network India for their invaluable backing of this project. Gangi Setty KARUNA SINGH EARTHDAY.ORG EARTHDAY.ORG - India Rumit Walia Mission 100 Crore Tree #csr #farmers #sustainability Gaurav Shah Vatsal Dhaka #Agroforestry #SustainableAgriculture #CSR #India #RuralDevelopment #WomenInAgriculture #ThinkGoodFoundation #GreenTreeFoundation #Mission100CroreTree #EarthdayNetworkIndia #ImpactInvesting #WomenFarmers #SmallScaleFarmers

Every seed sown is a testament to courage, every field nurtured a symbol of transformation. In Sonkatch, Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, women farmers are breaking barriers through Udyogini’s on-field training programs. Equipped with skills like selecting climate-adaptive crops, choosing quality seeds, and adopting sustainable root treatment practices, they are embracing advanced, regenerative farming methods. These women are not just growing crops; they are planting hope, inspiring change, and reclaiming their rightful space in decision-making. This is more than farming—this is empowerment in action. #empoweringwomen #womenfarmers #sustainablefarming #regenerativeagriculture #climatesmartagriculture #womeninagriculture #breakingbarriers #hopeinaction #farmersofindia #udyoginiimpact #agricultureinnovation #womenempowerment #ruraldevelopment #growwithcourage #sustainabledevelopment

In Mahamadpur, a tribal village in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, women are transforming their community’s health and well-being through sustainable vegetable cultivation. Traditionally, Jowar and Bajra were staple foods, but frequent attacks by animals like wild pigs and Nilgai severely affected farming, forcing men to migrate for work. Women and children, left behind, struggled with poor nutrition and limited access to fresh vegetables. Reliance Foundation stepped in with a Knowledge on Wheels program in June 2024, raising awareness about nutrition. In partnership with KVK and the Agriculture Department, RF provided vegetable and Jowar seeds to 22 women. Supported by expert guidance through audio conferences, these women learned organic farming techniques, from preparing manure to pest management. The result was remarkable. Surplus vegetables, including bottle gourd, spinach, and cucumber, were grown and shared among the community by leaders like Vimla Gadekar and Vanmala Jivan. Instead of selling the excess, they multiplied seeds and distributed produce to 25 other women, fostering collective well-being. Kamlabai Gadekar shared, "We now enjoy vegetables with Jowar, and I want to extend this well-being to other women without land." Looking ahead, Reliance Foundation plans to further diversify nutrition sources with poultry and goat rearing for a sustainable future. #RelianceFoundation #WeCare #TransformationalTuesdays #RelianceFoundationTransformingLives #EmpoweringFarmers #DigitalAgriculture #KVK #NutritionForAll #EmpoweringCommunities #WomenInAgriculture #RuralTransformation