ICAR-CIWA organizes Online Workshop of ICAR-AICRP on Women in Agriculture

24^th April, 2020, Bhubaneswar

The ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture organized the “Online Workshop of ICAR-All India Coordinated Research Project on Women in Agriculture” today. The online workshop was organized to contain the spread of the deadliest Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19).

In his address through Video Conferencing, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & DG (ICAR) appreciated the contributions of women scientists in agriculture and dealing with the issues of farm sector by working efficiently through the lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Dr. Mohapatra emphasized on the importance of proper documentation, capitalization on the strength of the schemes and popularization through social media like DD Kisan. He stressed on the need for defining the stakeholders - “Women in Agriculture” including farm laborer, cultivator, entrepreneurs etc. The Director General urged all the AICRP scientists to work in coordination with all sectors for maximizing the benefits of the farm women.

During the interaction session with the DG, various research achievements, viz., various Apps on managements of diabetes, parenting, menopause and health management, management of water shortages and anaemia in young girls, commercialized technologies, that is, high fibre mix, sanitary napkins from organically extracted fibres, low glycemic index rice products, etc. were highlighted.

Dr. R.C. Agrawal, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Education), ICAR stressed on quantifying the activities carried out by the ICAR-AICRP on Women in Agriculture during the lock down period with proper documentation. He accentuated on the need for working in collaboration with the International Organization like IFPRI and other ICAR Institutes both in Community Science and Agriculture for effective coordinated approach to reach out to the farm women in an integrated way with synergy for all round sustainable development.

Dr. P.S. Pandey, Assistant Director General (EP&HS), ICAR emphasized on the need for central repository of the data generated from all the Centres. He stressed that the repository may further be used for formulated projects and policy recommendations.

At the outset, Dr. S.K. Srivastava, Director, ICAR-CIWA highlighted about the mass production and distribution of hand sanitizers, masks, PPEs among the staff of universities, farm women and rural families by the Institute’s staff members through various Women Self Help Groups.

Earlier, in her welcome address, Dr. Lipi Das, Nodal Officer, ICAR-AICRP on Women in Agriculture highlighted the importance of the online workshop to get constructive ideas for restructuring the activities of AICRP on Women in Agriculture.

Around 65 participants involving the Unit and Technical Coordinators, Scientists from 13 ICAR-AICRP Centres and ICAR-AICRP Unit, ICAR-CIWA, Bhubaneswar participated.

(Source: ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture, Bhubaneswar)