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M&M unveils Prerna initiative to support, empower Indian women in agri
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Monday, 23 October, 2017, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Bengaluru
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Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) Ltd has unveiled Prerna, an initiative aimed at supporting and empowering Indian women in agriculture. The first project under Prerna is a collaboration between Mahindra and Mahindra, the Central Institution for Women in Agriculture (CIWA), a department of the Government of India’s Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Professional Assistance for Development Action (Pradan).
Prerna is based on the insight that women are often the invisible face of agriculture in India. There are 100 million women, many of whom work long hours in tedious and back-breaking tasks in the fields, often with tools and equipment not suited for them. Despite these challenges, they are usually paid less than their male counterparts.
The company is a part of the $19-billion Mahindra Group, which celebrated Mahila Kisan Diwas with the launch of the first project under Prerna, which aims to address these issues with the promotion of women-friendly, efficient and ergonomic farm tools and equipment through well-designed, targeted interventions. ICAR-CIWA is a first of its kind institution in India that is exclusively devoted to gender-related research in agriculture.
The project aims to increase the work efficiency and productivity of farm women, which will, in turn, lead to sustainable development in the agricultural sector. The project will be initially launched in the state of Odisha, with the intention to positively impact the lives of over 1,500 families across 30-plus villages.
Commenting on this initiative, Rajesh Jejurikar, president, farm equipment sector, M&M Ltd, said, “Indian women are the leading force in agriculture. There is a need to acknowledge their contribution and provide them with the necessary opportunities, training and equipment to help them to become better farmers and improve their lives.”
“Prerna is the result of this thinking and aspiration. We are thankful to our partners ICAR–CIWA and Pradan, who have joined hands with us for this important initiative,” he added.
In addition to the launch of this project, Mahindra has also introduced a contest to crowdsource ideas that aim to seek contributions from the general public on ways to improve the lives of women in agriculture.
The winner of this contest will be invited to the prestigious Mahindra Samriddhi Awards, an annual event that recognises innovations and contributions in the field of agriculture in India.
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