A Workshop-cum-Capacity Building Programme on Mechanization for Farm Women through WFPOs was organized under the Schedule Caste Sub Plan Programme (SCSP) by ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha on 3rd August, 2022 in MGMG adopted village of Tentalpur under Nischintakoili block of Cuttack district of Odisha. The programme was organized as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahostav to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence. About 50 participants including scientists and staffs of ICAR-CIWA, farm women, farmers, Personnel from line department and NGOs participated in the programme.

At the outset, Dr. Lipi Das, Nodal officer, MGMG programme welcomed the participants and described about importance of WFPOs for promoting mechanization for farm women. She explained the use of different women friendly farm tools and equipments in rice, pulse and vegetable farming to improve the work efficiency, work output, drudgery reduction and health hazards of farm women and demonstrated different women friendly farm tools and equipments for creating awareness among farm women on farm mechanization. She also stressed upon method of preparation of vermicompost by using fabric vermin beds in large scale for entrepreneurship development and its market linkage through WFPO ‘Ananya Farmer Producer Company Limited’ to get maximum financial benefits.

Dr. Biswanath Sahoo, Principal Scientist explained the role of farm women in fodder production and conservation; issues and approaches for mechanization in dairy farming. He highlighted about green fodder cultivation for optimum feeding of dairy animals. He also encouraged the farm women for green fodder cultivation and described about nutrient rich cattle feed for getting maximum milk production.

The programme was followed by a demonstration and distribution of different women friendly farm tools and equipment viz., khurpi, shovel, garden hoe, finger hoe, fabric vermin beds, spade, steel milk cane, improved sickle, hand hoe, ring cutter, cono weeder and micro-nutrients like borax, zinc sulfate among 30 SC farm women under SCSP programme. The programme was thoroughly covered by the print media for wide publicity. At the end of the programme, vote of thanks was proposed.