Malkangiri: The state government has taken a host of measures to empower women financially as well as socially. The efforts of the government seem to be bearing fruits for many women farmers in Malkangiri district.
These women have not only scripted success in vegetable farming at MV-10 village, but also set an example for others to emulate. Their earnings from vegetable farming are supplementing their family incomes.
The Odisha Livelihood Mission helped these women to get loans, which they used to take up vegetable farming. Today, it has become a source of livelihood for them.
According to reports, prolonged pandemic situation has broken the economic backbone of people minimising the scope of earning a livelihood in various sectors, especially in tribal-dominated districts like Malkangiri.
“During this time, finding a livelihood was of most important to us. We looked for ways to make a living. Eventually, we took up vegetable cultivation,’ said some women of Goudaguda panchayat.
A group of 20 women in the panchayat formed an SHG and applied for loans to raise vegetables with help of OLM. “We have now realised that it is our confidence that has taken us thus far. We put in hard labour and the result is before everyone to see,” a member of the SHG said.
“After finishing our household chores, we venture out into the fields with spades and other farming tools every day. There we take care of the vegetables,” they said. These women have grown a variety of vegetables on their farmlands – lady’s finger, brinjal, chili and plantain.
“We are selling the produce every day and earn something to supplement our family incomes,” they said.
PNN
