Bhubaneswar: To honour the invaluable contributions of women farmers to Indian agriculture and rural development, the ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (ICAR-CIWA), in collaboration with the Extension Division of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, celebrated ‘Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas’ with great enthusiasm here Wednesday.
The programme was graced by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who virtually addressed the gathering. In his message, the Minister highlighted the pivotal role of women farmers in sustaining the nation’s food and nutritional security.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to their empowerment, Chouhan outlined several initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s participation in agriculture, improving access to resources, and promoting gender-inclusive growth in the farm sector.
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ICAR-CIWA director Mridula Devi extended a warm welcome to all dignitaries and participants and highlighted the institute’s dedicated efforts in developing gender-responsive technologies, capacity-building programmes, and livelihood models that strengthen the role of women in agriculture.
She emphasised that the celebration serves as a platform to recognise the hard work, innovation, and resilience of women farmers who are driving transformation in rural livelihoods and shaping the future of Indian agriculture.
Addressing the event, ICAR, New Delhi Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension) Rajbir Singh appreciated the immense contributions of women in agriculture and allied sectors and emphasised the importance of science-based empowerment, promotion of women-friendly tools, and strengthening institutional support systems for women farmers to enhance productivity and income.
The event was also attended by ICAR, New Delhi, former ADG Bimlesh Mann and Raimati Ghiuria, popularly known as the ‘Millet Queen of India’, as special guests. Several progressive women farmers were felicitated for their exceptional contributions to agriculture and allied fields.
A ‘Scientist–Farmer Interaction Session’ was organised on themes such as Scientifi c Crop Production and Animal Husbandry Practices, Principles and Practices of Natural Farming, GST Reduction Benefi ts to Farmers, and Government Schemes for Farmer Welfare.
An exhibition titled ‘She Shakti in Krishi’ was also organised, featuring gender-responsive technologies, innovative women-friendly farm tools, and women-led agri-enterprises that exemplified the spirit of empowerment and innovation in agriculture.
The exhibits showcased the remarkable achievements of farm women and the innovative technologies developed by ICAR-CIWA to promote livelihood enhancement, productivity, and sustainable agricultural practices.
The celebration saw the enthusiastic participation of over 250 women farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, members of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and self-help groups (SHGs), as well as public representatives, students, and institute staff, making the event a resounding success.
