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Global meet on women in agriculture stresses on capacity building programmes
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Thursday, 15 March, 2012, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The Global Conference on Women in Agriculture was held here from March 13 to 15, 2012, with Margaret Alva, governor of Uttarakhand, in her presidential address suggesting for special focus on capacity building programmes for women in agriculture to refine skills with appropriate technologies.
According to her, agricultural tools and machines should be ergonomically designed to reduce drudgery of farm women and they should be empowered with farm knowledge through distance education, community radio and other effective means.
Alva suggested that women should be acknowledged as core food producers and processors and banks should recognise them as entrepreneurs. Laws banning women from performing operations like stone-breaking, pulling carts, spraying insecticides, carrying loads on the head etc. must be put in place together with social security and welfare measures. She said that this global conference was a forum that could set the tone for change by empowering women for inclusive growth in agriculture. It would, I hope, develop a clear framework for action, she added.
Sheila Dikshit, chief minister, Delhi state, while speaking as chief guest on the occasion, highlighted the important role of women in agriculture and said that there was a need to revisit and redesign agriculture education, research and extension policies and programmes.
She appreciated women-centred self-help groups and said, "Now, we have to harness the full potential of these SHGs by channelising all agricultural support services such as training, extension, information, credit, inputs, marketing etc. through these groups."
Prof. M S Swaminathan, noted thinker and parliamentarian, observed, "We are quite aware of the problems which women face in farms and fields. However, at this juncture we require in-depth analysis of the problems followed by the appropriate actions. Suitable technologies must be delivered to the farm women for change and empowerment. Other practical steps may also be taken up to help and support farm women." He suggested that a special fund may be created at national level to address gender-specific issues.
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