Paperman Media | Bhubaneswar, October 15
The ICAR–Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (ICAR-CIWA), Bhubaneswar, commemorated Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas today, aligning with the global observance of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026. The convention brought together over 250 participants—including women farmers, Self-Help Group (SHG) members, Women Farmer Producer Organizations (WFPOs), students, and agricultural scientists—to recognize and advance the role of women in agriculture.
Welcoming the delegates, Dr. Mridula Devi, Director of ICAR-CIWA, highlighted the institute’s commitment to developing gender-responsive technologies, building capacity, and creating sustainable livelihood models. She emphasized that targeted skill training, technology transfer, and institutional support are essential to enhancing farm productivity and expanding rural women's entrepreneurship.
Chief Guest Shri Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, stressed that closing the gender gap and ensuring equal opportunity are vital to realizing the sector's full potential. He commended ICAR-CIWA for formulating state-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for farm machinery, enabling women farmers to operate equipment safely and independently. Shri Jadhav also called for collaborative policy interventions between ICAR-CIWA and the state government to strengthen women’s land rights. Guest of Honour Prof. S. Pasupalak, Former Vice-Chancellor of OUAT, urged women farmers to leverage collective group action and highlighted the importance of impact assessments for women-friendly agricultural implements.
A major milestone of the celebration was the distribution of ICAR-CIWA’s pedal-operated coconut dehusker to 50 women SHGs to mitigate physical drudgery, prevent occupational hazards, and enhance household incomes. Participants also explored dynamic demonstrations of farm innovations, including agricultural drones, the Integrated Vertical Nutri Farming System (IVNFS), hydroponics, mushroom cultivation, disc ridgers, and maize dehusker-cum-shellers.
The event honored six progressive women farmers for their exceptional contributions to agricultural production and allied enterprises. The day concluded with an interactive scientist–farmer interface focused on climate-resilient farming practices, improved crop varieties, and modern farm management strategies.
