As a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava, a Field Day on Value addition: A promising way for creating sustainable livelihood for rural women was organized in collaboration with KVK Jagatsinghpur on 6th October, 2021 in its premises. Around fifty Schedule Caste woman farmers from seven villages of Jagatisinghpur district were participated in the programme. At the outset, Dr. Sachidananda Swain, Sr. Scientist (AS&PE), welcomed the participants and briefed about the programme and urged for the use of improved agricultural tools for drudgery reduction in on/off field conditions and use of improved vegetable seeds as a mean to enhance yield and productivity.

Dr. Biswa Ranjan Pattanaik, Senior Scientist and Head address the gathering and delivered lecture on women empowerment and the role of CIWA in upliftment of socio-economic condition of rual women in particular. Er. Dwarika Mohan Das, Scientist from KVK, Jagatsinghpur highlighted about drudgery reduction equipments, food processing gadgets, time-management for rural women for better field activities at par with men counterparts. Er. Prasanti Sharma, Block Ag. Engg, Kujanga briefed about proper post harvest management and better price realization through development of value added products like RTS beverages, jam, pickle, dried powder. Farmers have shown their interest for the establishment of small scale processing potato chips processing unit in their locality which are heavily wasted during market glut. Finally, farm implements such as sprayer, rose cane, milk can, axe, hand hoe, garden rake, spade, sickle, khurpi etc were distributed among the farm women.

The event was coordinated by Dr. Sachidananda Swain, Sr. Scientist (AS&PE), Er. Pragati Kishore Rout, Sr. Technical Asst. and Er. Dwarika Mohan Das, Scientist (Ag. Engg), KVK, Jagatsinghpur.