A report showcasing five case studies of women-led growth and entrepreneurship through their participation in agricultural production systems and allied sectors, was released on Tuesday. The report, ‘Gender and Water in Agriculture and Allied Sectors’, was developed jointly by 2030 Water Resources Group, a public-private-civil society partnership hosted by the World Bank Group, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India.
The case studies selected — Project Disha of the UNDP, Swayam Shikshan Prayog, Sahyadri Farms, The Goatry Project and Happy Roots — are closely aligned with the eight 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN. At the launch, Nadia Rasheed, Deputy Country Director, UNDP India, said, “At UNDP, we believe that effective collaboration between governments, private sector and communities is key to achieving the SDGs.”
The existing gender gap prevents women from contributing to agricultural productivity and $700 billion could be added to India’s GDP by 2025 if their participation was increased by 10%, the report said.
It also highlights scalable, innovative interventions to address water resources management, use of technology for improved agricultural practices and sustainable value chains. The initiatives also empower women economically and socially and work towards removing gender barriers in agriculture.
Presenting the report, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Maharashtra is committed towards creating livelihood opportunities for women. The success of self-help groups and microfinance movements in the State is a testament to the potential of collective action by India’s rural women.”
