PRADAN signs MoU with Odisha to improve women livelihoods via agri cluster
| Photo Credit:
RITU RAJ KONWAR

PRADAN, which is a national support organisation to DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Directorate of Horticulture under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE), and Mission Shakti of the Odisha government for the project ‘Strengthening livelihoods of women self-help group (SHG) members through promotion of agriculture production cluster (APC) in Odisha’.

Under this MoU, the APC model will be further reinforced through the establishment and promotion of 695 producer groups (PGs) and 27 producer companies (PCs) across the newly included blocks. A media statement said the initiative aims to create synchronised, market-linked production among women PG members in these areas, ultimately pushing for economic empowerment and resilience.

The APC initiative is an effort by the DA&FE, aimed at accelerating growth in the farm sector and sustainably doubling the income of small and marginal women farmers associated with women SHGs. The Odisha government has now expanded the initiative to cover 27 additional blocks and Kotia area of Pottangi block. With this expansion, the project is now operational in 100 backward blocks across 16 districts of Odisha.

Collective action

Quoting Saroj Kumar Mahapatra, Executive Director of PRADAN, the statement said the expansion of the APC project highlights the state’s commitment to empowering women farmers and promoting inclusive economic growth.

“At PRADAN, we believe in the power of collective action, and through this initiative, we aim to enable women SHG members to build sustainable agribusiness models, improve their market access, and secure a prosperous future for themselves and their communities in some of the remotest rural pockets of Odisha,” Mahapatra said.

Published on April 11, 2025

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