Training on Entrepreneurship Development in Fruit and Vegetable Processing for Rural SC Women Organised

27 June 2025, Bhilwara, Rajasthan

To promote self-employment and enhance livelihoods among rural Scheduled Caste (SC) women, a five-day training programme on Entrepreneurship Development in Processing and Value Addition of Fruits and Vegetables was organized by ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad, in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhilwara, Rajasthan, under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan from June 23–27, 2025.

The training aimed to build capacity among rural women by equipping them with practical skills in food processing, value addition, and marketing empowering them to start small-scale enterprises and contribute to their household incomes.

Dr. Gopal Lal, Director, ICAR-NAARM, inaugurated the programme and urged the participants to utilize such capacity-building initiatives to their full potential. He emphasized the importance of value addition in enhancing nutritional benefits, increasing farmer income, and reducing post-harvest losses, especially in the growing food processing sector.

The training included hands-on sessions where participants learned to prepare a range of products including Neem Giloy, bitter gourd, beetroot, mixed fruit and pineapple juices, banana and potato chips, various pickles (mango, lemon, green chilli, mushroom), mango lonji, tomato ketchup, and sherbets (jamun, rose, mango-mint).

During the valedictory session, Dr. J.S. Sandhu, former Deputy Director General, ICAR, and Vice Chancellor, Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University , Jobner, highlighted the vast potential of the food processing sector and the importance of maintaining product quality, reducing labor through mechanization, and embracing continuous learning.

Dr. J.P. Mishra, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Zone-II (Jodhpur), urged the trainees to share the knowledge gained and link local produce with markets through value addition. He emphasized forming self-help groups and seeking ongoing support from KVKs.

Dr. Lokesh Gupta, Executive Board Member, MPUAT, and Dean, College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, Udaipur, encouraged adding value to locally available fruits and vegetables like papaya, custard apple, and garlic to increase rural incomes.

As part of the programme’s support initiative, participants received mixer grinders, slicers, travel bags, and certificates, reinforcing their entrepreneurial journey.

This initiative marks a significant step in promoting rural entrepreneurship, self-reliance, and sustainable income generation among marginalized women in agriculture.
A total of 30 SC women farmers and youth from Bhilwara district participated in the programme.

(Source: ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research & Management, Hyderabad)