Collaborative Online Programme of ICAR-CIWA, Bhubaneswar and MANAGE, Hyderabad on “Promoting Women Agripreneurship through Crop -Livestock - Fisheries Technologies”

A collaborative online training programme of ICAR-CIWA, Bhubaneswar and MANAGE, Hyderabad on “Promoting Women Agripreneurship through Crop-Livestock-Fisheries Technologies” was organised during 14-18 September 2021. The programme was organized with the objectives to enhance the skill and knowledge of extension functionaries on gender sensitive approaches and technologies in agriculture and allied sectors for promoting agripreneurship among rural women and to build confidence of extension functionaries to be the change makers in the livelihood of rural women through adoption of agripreneusrhip. Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Chief Guest of the inaugural function stressed the need for documenting the stories of successful enterprises by rural women. The Patron of the programme Dr P. Chandra Shekara, Director General, MANAGE, Hyderabad, reiterated the importance of formation of women’s association and groups in bringing about their holistic empowerment. The Chairman of the training programme Dr Anil Kumar, Director (Acting), ICAR-CIWA highlighted the importance of equipping women to adopt entrepreneurship as alternate livelihood option in the current scenario of reverse migration of male happening because of the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Lipi Das, Course Director, Principal Scientist (Ag. Extension), ICAR-CIWA highlighted the concepts behind developing this important training programme on women agripreneurship and presented the outline of the programme. She informed that a total of 183 participants have registered from 22 states in the training programme. The participants included faculties from SAU’s, ICAR Scientists, KVK scientists, Students and Entrepreneurs. The training course covered the topics of Entrepreneurial avenues through farming, post harvest processing and engineering existing in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, poultry, goat farming and farm machinery and power, gender sensitive farming system models, mitigating occupational health hazards and drudgery of farmwomen at farm and home, importance of digitization of technologies in agriculture, business plan development and the incubation process for carving out women agriprenuers, Importance of marketing linkages and FPOs. Dr Shahaji Phand, Course Director, Centre Head (EAAS) & Principal Coordinator (AC&ABC), MANAGE, Hyderabad welcomed the Dignitaries. Dr Himanshu Pathak, Chief Guest of the Valedictory programme congratulated the organizing team for successfully organising the training which holds a lot of significance in the present era. Dr Tanuja S, Scientist, ICAR-CIWA and Mr Neetish Kumar, Scientist, ICAR-CIWA were the Course Co-ordinators of the training programme and beautifully coordinated the programme for its successful completion.