Virtual Training Programme on ‘Integrating gender concerns in agricultural research and extension for improving livelihood of farmwomen’

The above training programme was organized in virtual mode by ICAR-CIWA from 15 to 19 December 2020 to sensitize the scientific and extension personnel working in the field of agricultural research and development. The training programme was graced by Dr P.S. Pandey, ADG (EP&HS), ICAR as Chief Guest who informed the audience about the various initiatives taken by government of India for mainstreaming and empowering women in agriculture. He also emphasized about the need for working in close collaboration with Ministry of Women and Child Development which is also actively taking up the cause of women in agriculture. Gender budgeting cell is now functioning in all ministries to earmark the special needs of women. He also highlighted the fact that girl students out-number male students in many agricultural universities which augurs well for their mainstreaming and empowerment. Director ICAR-CIWA spoke about the various projects being carried out by the Institutes and the important achievements of the Institute in empowering women in agriculture and sensitizing the policy makers.

Dr. Sabita Mishra, coordinator of the training programme welcomed the participants and invited members to the online training programme. There were 65 participants in the inaugural session of which 33 were trainee participants from 11 states of India. The participants were from various disciplines engaged in development of agricultural technologies and their spread amongst farmers. The training programme comprised of 14 lectures by covering various dimensions of gender research and development focusing on agriculture. The experts were drawn from scientists from the Institute as well as other organizations like M.S. Swaminathan Foundation. The various lectures give a new look and the various dimensions in the field of gender research to the participants. The speakers covered the fundamental concepts to understand the gender, the status of women in agriculture and allied activities, roles played by women in agriculture, activities undertaken, social stereotyping, need for improvement in social status of women, involvement of women and proper place to be given to them in social system not as equality but also equity, role of women in food production and food security, tools for gender analysis, data collection, planning and policy making, work place health hazard, climate change role of women in the times of climate change, gender in farm mechanization, improving livelihood through agriculture and allied sectors like animal husbandry and fisheries, nutritional and food security, entrepreneurshipdevelopment, biodiversity conservation etc.

The participants actively gave the daily feedback about the programme and pre and post- views of the participants were collected. The valedictory session was organized on Dec 19 2020 in which participants opined that more such training programmes need to be organized for all the stakeholders engaged in agriculture and development. The coordinators of the training programmeDr Anil Kumar, Dr L.P. Sahoo and DrAnanta Sarkar actively participated in the programme and ShSubrat K. Das ensured that the virtual training programme over five days were flawlessly streamed.