Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 29: A two-day state-level women farmer’s convention on ‘Issues and Challenges of Small and Marginal Special Women Farmers’ organised by Centre for Youth and Social Development and Oxfam began at CYSD here Monday.
Researchers, policymakers, development practitioners and women farmers from different parts of the state like Koraput, Bolangir, Nuapada, and Keonjhar districts participated in the convention.
Women farmers from small and marginal categories are not only adding value to the system of agricultural agglomeration but are also striving a lot to empower them and help them avail the benefits of policies meant for them. CYSD held the convention with an aim to discuss current issues and challenges of women farmers, share experiences, build women farmers’ network, and to find a solution to empower women farmers.
Attending the programme as chief guest, MLA Priyadarshi Mishra said, “The economic and financial development of women farmers is not happening as most of them don’t own land and work as labourers in the agricultural sector. The government has introduced many schemes for farmers, but they are not being utilised properly. Awareness among women farmers is very essential to improve their condition. We need to make them aware of various government schemes which could be very beneficial for them. They are not getting the fruits of their hard work. Apart from traditional farming, they should be encouraged to take up flower farming as it is a very profitable business.”
Sabita Mishra, principal scientist, Directorate of Research on Women in Agriculture, spoke of how efforts of women in the agricultural sector were going unnoticed. “About 71 per cent of the women workforce is engaged in agriculture. Of them, 82 per cent are agricultural labourers,” Mishra said.
“Most of the work in the field is done by women but still nobody recognises their contribution. They have been putting in longer hours in the field than the men, especially in nursery raising, transplanting, line weeding, irrigation, pest management, nutrient management in pre-harvesting and harvesting periods, besides post harvesting operations including grading, sorting, and packing,” the scientist said.
Mishra exhorted the women farmers to be confident and to be appreciative of their work. “Until and unless you appreciate your work and be confident of yourself, nobody is going to recognise your efforts. Become aware of various schemes instituted for your benefit and try to utilise them,” the scientist said.
Women’s land rights, policy and institutional mechanism for women farmers, opportunities for women in agriculture, extension services and market linkages for women farmers, women’s access to credit and agri-inputs were some of the major topics for discussion.
“Recognising women as an important human resource for agriculture and empowering them with due rights and entitlements can form the core strategy for achieving higher, sustainable and inclusive agricultural growth. Empowering women economically and making them central to solutions is more imperative,” said Akhaya Kumar Biswal, regional manager of Oxfam.
Many farmers also shared their problems related to farming and irrigation during the seminar which was also attended by Prof Radha Mohan, former State Information Commissioner.
Diudo Majhi was one woman farmer from Kundra block of Koraput district who attended the seminar. “We cultivate rice, maize, millet, turmeric and other vegetables. But lack of proper storage and market facilities is a big challenge for us. Apart from managing the field and household chores, I also go to the nearby market to sell my vegetables,” Majhi said.
Another farmer Chandrabati from Koraput spoke of her problems. “Even after putting in the best of our efforts, we are not getting good crops due to lack of good quality seeds. Scarcity of water and irrigation facilities also worsens our problem. The markets in the neighbouring areas are quite small due to which we don’t get good returns from the sale of vegetables,” Chandrabati said.
