2 January 2012 at DRWA, Bhubaneswar

Hon'ble DG, ICAR VISITED DIRECTORATE OF RESEARCH ON WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE, BHUBANESWAR

      Dr. S. Ayyappan, Secretary DARE and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi visited the Directorate of Research on Women in Agriculture, Bhubaneswar on 2nd January 2012.    
 

Dr. Ayyappan while visiting the facilities and experimental farm oversaw various experiments and demo units. He interacted with the scientists and staff of DRWA and asked them to work more on need assessment and develop projects to address the challenges faced by all the stakeholders, especially about 25 crore women clientele. He also underlined the need for systematic planning of research activities during XII Plan period in the priority areas including Health Food, Youth, etc. and emphasized that the institute should make a mark in SAARC Region.
Earlier, Dr. Krishna Srinath, Director, DRWA welcomed Hon'ble D.G., ICAR and presented the progress and future programmes of the Directorate. On this occasion Dr. Narayana Gowda, Vice Chancellor, UAS, Bangalore and Chairman, Research Advisory Committee of DRWA spoke on the areas in which DRWA can make positive impact. The Scientists from Regional Station of CARI were also present during interaction with D.G., ICAR at DRWA. Dr. Ayyappan also visited the newly constructed Residential campus of DRWA and released a technical bulletin.

3-7 January 2012 at  Bhubaneswar

ICAR ALONG WITH DRWA PUT UP STALL AT 99TH INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS AT BHUBANESWAR

      Indian Council of Agricultural Research along with Directorate of Research on Women in Agriculture, Bhubaneswar put up a stall and exhibited the implements and other exhibits related to women farmers at the 99th Indian Science Congress (3-7 January 2012) at KIIT Stadium, Bhubaneswar.
 

      Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated this prestigious event. Shri Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare, Governor of Odisha, Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Ashwani Kumar, Union Minister of State of Planning, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha are among dignitaries who grace the occasion.

       The Congress at Bhubaneswar is focused on role of science and technology for development in India across all sections of society and particularly touching the under privileged, rural population and women. The theme of 99th Indian Science Congress is Science and Technology for Inclusive Innovation-Role of Women. The inaugural function of 99th Indian Science Congress, presided over by Prof Geetha Bali, Vice Chancellor of the Karnataka State Women's University, Bijapur, was attended by over 15,000 delegates, including 500 foreign scientists and several Nobel laureates.
 

     The achievements of the Council and institute were also highlighted in the exhibition namely, Pride of India at KIIT Stadium. The visitors are also showing their keen interest in the publications of the Council. Pride of India displays the strengths and achievements of government, corporate, PSUs, academics and research & development institutes, innovators and entrepreneurs from all across the country.

        Director General, ICAR Dr S Ayyappan visited the ICAR Stall and appreciated the displayed exhibits. Many renowned delegates and scientists visited the stall and shown interest in the latest technologies developed by the Council.
 
 

 30 September & 1 October  2011 at DRWA, Bhubaneswar

Hon'ble Deputy Director General, ICAR, New Delhi, Dr. K.D. Kokate visits DRWA on

30 September & 1 October 2011

 8-9 August 2011 at National Agricultural Science Centre Complex, New Delhi

A National Consultation on Gender Perspective in Agriculture is being organized at NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi on 8-9 August 2011 under the Chairmanship of Secretary, DARE & DG, ICAR with the participation of leading experts in the field of research, extension, education and development and policy makers in the subject. The Consultation will focus on the following objectives.

• Understand stakeholders’ perspective on importance of gender research for agriculture and economic development;

• Prioritize gender issues for future research;

• Invite inputs for strengthening institutional capacity in delivering gender based solutions; and

• Develop a road map of Home Science as a subject and a career in the changing agricultural scenario

Active Participation of Women in Agriculture Needed for Higher Productivity - D. Purandeswari

Two Day National Consultation on Gender Perspective in Agriculture Begins

New Delhi, 08 August  2011

‘For achieving 8-10% GDP growth we must revisit agricultural policy and schemes and bring out the necessary changes for more participation of women in agriculture. This will help in enhancing agricultural productivity in the country’, said Smt. D. Purandeswari, Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development. She was inaugurating two days National Consultation on ‘Gender Perspective in Agriculture’ jointly organized by the Directorate of Research on Women in Agriculture (DRWA) and Division of Agricultural Extension under the aegis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

‘Migration of rural men has put the pressure on women agricultural labor in rural area. Their child needed more nutritional and health care. Holistically revisiting agricultural policy can solve these problems ’, she added. Lauding the role played by the ICAR she said that agricultural research should be centered on the problems faced by the women. She also deliberates upon the credit facility for women farmers.

Dr. S. Ayyappan, Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR hoped that this consultation come out with innovative ideas to provide access and control over agricultural resources, information, knowledge and market to women. He also emphasized on better working conditions and share in income and benefits for women in agriculture. ‘Food security along with nutritional, health and emotional security is another aspects for development ’, he added.

Dr. R. S. Paroda, Former Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR urged to reorient home science research to make it more effective and efficient. He suggested that vocational training may be provided to Home Science students so that they can become a job provider instead of job seeker. Dr. Rita Sharma, Secretary, National Advisory Council described changes in government paradigm and impact of climate change as two major drivers of change in agriculture.

Dr. K.D. Kokate, DDG (Agricultural Extension) in his presentation provided a glimpse of women’s participation in Indian agriculture.  Dr. Krishna Srinath, Director, DRWA gives vote of thanks. Dr. Manju Sharma, Former Secretary, Department of Bio Technology, other senior officials of ICAR, scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and Deans of Home Science across the country are participating in this consultation.

This is an effort to draw the attention of women scientists and academicians of National Agriculture Research System and other closely related stakeholders to the subject of gender research in agriculture and look into the prospects of further strengthening Home Science as a curriculum and as a career.

Women in Agriculture

An FAO study indicated that in the Indian Himalayas a pair of bullock’s works 1064 hours, a man 1212 hours and a woman 3485 hours in a year on a one hectare farm, a figure that illustrates women’s significant contribution to agricultural production. In overall farm production, women’s average contribution is estimated at 55% to 66% of the total labour with percentages, much higher in certain regions.

Although women currently provide 60-80% of the agricultural labour, they have limited access to the resources and opportunities needed to maximize and profit from their contributions. Limitations constrain farmers’ ability to improve their lives and that of their families and the transformative power of agriculture to alleviate poverty and hunger.

Studies conducted in nine states in India by DRWA indicated that independent participation of women was more in homestead-based agriculture. Joint participation in crop production activity was 75% for major crops, 79% for horticulture and 51% in post harvest operations. In livestock work participation rate of women was 58% and in fisheries about 95%.

Highest participation of women in agriculture was observed in Himachal Pradesh and lowest in Uttarakhand as in the latter joint participation was prevalent. DRWA data also shows a considerable gap in gender work participation rate which narrows down in Himachal and Chhattisgarh.