Surviving COVID-19 Pandemic Through Business Diversification: A Case Study of a Women’s Farmer Producer Organization

Abstract

Women’s contribution to agriculture sector is significant. They make up almost 48% of the agricultural labour force (FAO, 2021), over the last few decades, they have broadened their involvement in agriculture. Sustainable Development Goal - 2, aims to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030. Women can be the key agents of change in agriculture, nutrition and rural development. With better access to information, training, and technology, women can alter food production and consumption so that land and resources are used sustainably. A major issue is that women are not considered “farmers” and they do not get opportunity to gain knowledge, have no access to information on good agriculture practices, no engagement in markets for their crop sale and no involvement in decisions related to farming in their households. As a consequence, there is hardly any engagement of women in any value addition based enterprise.