Sambalpur: The state government has launched various schemes to make women self-reliant as part of its women empowerment drive. The move has instilled a sense of confidence among the women to take up independent economic activities and become self-reliant. As such, women in Sambalpur district are increasingly getting drawn towards agriculture which has helped them earn their livelihood and become self-reliant. They have shown how agriculture can become life-changing and bring about a turnaround in their lives and community. The women are receiving help in their endeavour from over 15 state owned departments like Mission Shakti, Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM), Horticulture, Agriculture and Fisheries departments as well as Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). There are 57 producers’ groups of state government with four producer companies of Centre having over 7,000 women members. The Sanatanpali Farmers’ Producer Company under Jujumura block which has over 740 farmers including 400 women is a case in this point.
As many as 25 SHGs have also joined this group, said Prachi Patel, the chief executive officer of this group. The women farmers here are being supplied with types of seeds and pesticides either free of cost or at subsidised rates, she said. A cold storage has also been established in the village which the farmers use to store their farm produce. The women farmers here have taken up vegetable, mushroom and fish farming. They are selling vegetables and mushroom everyday and earning cash in exchange. This has given them the confidence and power to manage their families.
As a result, the women members are earning around Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh each from the cultivation, she said. They have been awarded for their efforts in state and national levels and have adopted agriculture as their means of livelihood. Irregular rainfall, climate change, pest attacks and drought have failed to deter them. When contacted, ORMAS district coordinator Sribanta Hota said all help in government level is being provided to the producers’ group. Establishment of better marketing facilities, cold storage and processing units in every block will be done in phases, he said.