Women smallholder farmers will receive access to agri-inputs, crop advisory and market linkages to help them earn better agricultural incomes from their family farms
Recognizing the need to rebuild rural livelihoods and improve women’s health awareness in under-developed areas of Maharashtra, Bayer is partnering with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a global service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, and Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM), a semi-government corporation focused on women’s development.
Over a year-long EUR 1 million (INR 8.7 crores) Covid-response program; Bayer, GIZ and MAVIM will support rural women smallholders in Maharashtra focusing on the districts of Vidarbha, Marathwada and Amaravati. Bayer, GIZ and MAVIM are working together in a development partnership of the develoPPP.de programme, which the GIZ implements on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
“This project holds special significance for Bayer as we are contributing towards better nutrition and health for rural women, with interventions from both our Crop Science and Pharmaceuticals businesses. Bayer will support women smallholders to improve their livelihoods through agriculture and create awareness on women’s health topics,” said D. Narain, Senior Bayer Representative, South Asia.
“GIZ, on behalf of BMZ, is already supporting 6,000 women smallholder farmers with agri-input kits for cultivation of vegetables, pulses and corn. Bayer will complement this with advisory services and training across 9 districts to indirectly impact 20,000 farmers. This will be conducted through Model Farms with plans to set up 80 such farms in Maharashtra in 2021. In addition, GIZ will develop 30 market access points at existing agri-input shops owned by Women Farmer Federations at block levels to facilitate the sale of agri produce seamlessly, said Rajeev Ahal, Director NRM & Agroecology, GIZ India.
“MAVIM will sustain its efforts around training and empowerment of women smallholder farmers in Maharashtra even beyond the year-long Covid-Response project. This will be driven through Bayer’s Better Life Farming initiative, where women smallholder farmers and Women Farmer Federations will be empowered to practice commercial farming that will help them earn sustainable incomes, rather than relying on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods,” concluded Jyoti Thakare, Chairperson MAVIM.
