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3/9/2015
PROCEEDINGS
OF
CONFERENCE
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “Gender Equality through Women
Empowerment in Cooperatives and Agriculture” held on 9th
March at NCUI
IFFCO FOUNDATION
[PROCEEDINGS OF CONFERENCE]
March 9, 2015
Conference on “Gender Equality through Women Empowerment in Cooperatives and
Agriculture” held on 9th March at NCUI
Conference Highlights
IFFCO Foundation organized a Conference on “Gender Equality through Women Empowerment in
Cooperatives and Agriculture” on the eve of International Women’s day. The theme of the conference
was gender equality in cooperatives and agriculture as per the theme of International Women’s Day.
Inaugural Session
The Inaugural Session was graced by:

Prof. Asha Kadyan, Vice-Chancellor, Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Viswavidyalaya,

Dr R B Singh Chancellor, Central Agricultural University

Dr. Nandini Azad, President, Indian Cooperative Network for Women

Mr. J N L Srivastava, Managing Trustee, IFFCO Foundation
Welcome Address by Mr. J N L Srivastava, Managing Trustee, IFFCO Foundation
At the outset, Mr. Srivastava congratulated all participants on the occasion of International Women’s Day
viz. 8th March. He mentioned that United Nations (UN) has taken Gender equality as the theme for 2015,
and explained the significance of the same. He appreciated the parade by women soldiers on the occasion
of Republic Day, 26th January. He emphasized the need for social, economic as well as cultural progress
as a means to improve the status of women in India. He gave examples of SEWA, NDDB, Urban
Cooperative Banks, Fishery Cooperative, Weaver Cooperative, Handloom Cooperative and Consumer
cooperative in generating livelihoods for women. However, voices of women members have not reached
the policy level. As per the 97th constitutional amendment envisaging reforms in the cooperative sector
mandating a minimum of two women on management of each cooperative society in the cooperative act
is an innovative step to build leadership capacity of women members. There are 6 lakhs cooperatives in
the country which would have to induct two women directors in the board. In this context Mr. Srivastava
highlighted the need for training women leaders to reach the target of 12 lakh women cooperators.
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Key Note Address by Prof RB Singh, Chancellor Central Agriculture University
Prof RB Singh highlighted the sluggish trajectory of women empowerment and reiterated the slogan of
Planet 50-50 by 2030 given by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka. In 1995, at
the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, world leaders committed to a future where women
are equal. The Earth Summit ’92 in Rio also called for partnership of women for sustainable development.
The third goal of Millennium Development Goals promotes “Gender equality and Empowerment of
women”. Despite global advocacy for gender equality status of women has not improved. The situation is
more serious for India as it accounts for nearly 25% of the world’s hungry and poor, and 40% of the
world’s undernourished children. The percentage of anemic children and women in India is quite high –
while 79% of the children (6 months – 35 months) are anemic, 56% of married women (15 years – 49
years) are anemic. Not surprisingly, while India’s rank in the Human Development Index (HDI) is 82 out
of nearly 200 countries, its rank in the Women Development Index (WDI) is 134.
In India the first Global Conference on Women in Agriculture, 13-15 March, 2012 was organized to
discuss empowerment of women and gender issues in agriculture. The conference culminated with twelve
policy recommendations. There is a need to analyze interconnecting issues emerging from Fourth World
Conference on Women in Beijing, 1995 and Global Conference on Women in Agriculture, 2012 in the
form of a matrix which could provide tremendous way forward for gender equality. He also advocated for
creation of a special fund for women in agriculture.
Inaugural Address by Dr. Dr. Nandini Azad, President, Indian Cooperative Network for Women
Dr Nandini Azad expressed concern at the cut of Rs 10,000 crore from the women and child development
union budget and the reduction of Rs 8,000 crore from the health budget. She also expressed concern on
the land ordinance which would further consolidate the discrimination faced by women farmers. She
highlighted increasing feminization of agriculture but with little or no resources at hand. Only 20% of
women across the world own land while sharing greater work load. In the context cooperatives can play
an important role. Cooperatives can promote a more active role of women in management of agriculture
produce, collective bargaining and active decision making. She appreciated IFFCO Foundations’ initiative
of leadership development of women in cooperatives. The government is not acknowledging the role of
cooperatives which is evident from the budget declaration. She lamented the fact there are no women
members in the newly formed NITI Ayog (highest policy level institution of government).
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She highlighted the gender and equity model of Indian Cooperative Network for Women whereby
Women members manage 14 cooperatives and 200 businesses. The cooperative membership has grown
to 2.5 lakh members, and has disbursed loan of Rs 300 crore with a track record of 99% repayment. The
reason or success is creating an enabling and comfortable space for women, identification of beneficiary,
and training of women members to rise to managerial positions within the cooperative.
Chairperson’s Address by Dr. Asha Kadyan Vice-Chancellor, Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila
Viswavidyalaya
Dr. Asha Kadyan began her speech by reciting the lines from the song “I am a Woman” written and
composed by Helen Reddy. She argued that even though half of the population comprises of women and
76% of total work is done by women, the lot of women both economically and socially has not improved.
She gave examples of exploitation of women in Haryana where women slog equally at farm and home but
economic activity like marketing of produce is a man’s domain.
She enlightened the audience about the contribution of Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Viswavidyalaya.
Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya is the ‘dream come true’ of Bhagat Phool Singh Ji, who
established a Gurukul for girls at Khanpur Kalan in 1936. Even after the demise of Bhagat Phool Singh,
his equally dynamic daughter Subhashini Ji not only took control of Gurukul but worked vigorously in
expanding the Gurukul in terms of its various constituent institutions like BPS Memorial Girls’ College
(1967), BPS College of Education (1968), MSM Ayurvedic College (1973), BPS Mahila Polytechnic
(1984), TIG Bhainswal Kalan(1999) and PSD Girls’ Law College (2003). There are 7000 students
enrolled in varied courses. Most of the girl students come from Uttar Pradesh.
The university is involved in community development and has adopted Khanpur village as part of
community development program. Due to the efforts of University the literacy rate of Khanpur village is
74% more than the literacy rate of Haryana (67%).
Technical Session – I (Gender Equality in the cooperative and agriculture sector)
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Session Chairperson: Dr. Meena Kumari, DDG Fisheries
Dr. Tabassum Jamal, NISTADS:
Dr. Tabassum Jamal highlighted the role of skill development in economic empowerment of women. She
focused on the skills related to agriculture and different government initiatives in agriculture sector. Status
of Vocational Education at Primary Level in the Field of Agriculture: At present CBSE is offering 33
Vocational courses consisting of 97 subjects but only three vocational courses include 9 subjects are based
on Agriculture.
Table 1: Agriculture based Vocational courses by CBSE
Sr. No.
Vocational Courses/ Subjects
1
Horticulture
a
Vegetable Culture
b
Floriculture
scheme
by
c
Post Harvest Technology and Preservation
Ministry
of
2
Dairying
Agriculture:
a
Milk and Milk Products
For
b
Milk Production, Transport and Milk Cooperatives
higher levels of
c
Dairy Plant Instrumentation
3
Poultry Farming
a
Poultry Nutrition & Physiology
b
Poultry Products Technology
c
Poultry Diseases & their control
Source: CBSE website http://www.cbse.gov.in
Flagship
sustaining
production, it is
necessary
to
target new areas
of
food
grain
production,
while promoting
conservation
agriculture in the high production areas, to maintain current levels of productivity. New technologies are
needed to break yield barriers, utilize inputs more efficiently and diversify to more sustainable and higher
value cropping patterns. Some of the major programmes of Department of Agriculture for filling skill
gaps are Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India
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(BGREI),Pulses and Oilseeds Villages in Rain fed areas, Saffron Mission in J&K, National Food
Security Mission (NFSM) and National Horticulture Mission.
Geeta Ben, SEWA Urban Cooperative T/C Society:
Geeta Ben spoke about her experience with SEWA Delhi and formation of urban cooperative society in
Delhi. After two years of agitation and struggle members of SEWA Delhi were able to register the
cooperative in 2007.She highlighted the problems faced by women vendors which led to the agitation for
the rights of vendors in Delhi resulting in street vendor bill which was passed in 2013. In her thirteen years
of experience with SEWA she has learnt the importance of organization for political and social
empowerment of women.
Hameeda Ben, Mahila SEWA Urban Cooperative T/C Society ltd:
Hameeda Ben highlighted the importance of women’s day celebration and laid stress on the gender
sensitization approach of SEWA Delhi. SEWA Delhi organizes women workers and connects them to
development programs so they are enabled to achieve full employment and self-reliance. SEWA Delhi
has been able to organize poor women of Sunder Nagri and other areas of Delhi to form the cooperative
society. SEWA urban cooperative t/c society has been able to successfully mobilize 13 crores of deposits
from women.
Dr. Firoza Banoo, Chairperson, Raj Laxmi Mahila Urban Cooperative Bank ltd:
Dr. Firoza Banoo gave examples of women intellectuals from history like Gargi and said that women were
empowered in ancient times. She highlighted international experience of Iran and Philippines where
women have created large cooperative societies. She spoke about Raj Laxmi Mahila Urban Cooperative
limited which has 500 women members. One of the women members of cooperative started a media group
called Shaksham Media with a paltry loan of 50,000
Technical Session – II (Socio-Economic Empowerment of Women)
Chairperson: Ms. Uma Prabhu, Trustee Manav Sadhan Vikas Sanstha
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Dr. Navin Anand, UNDP
Dr. Navin Anand gave successful examples of cooperative societies and self help groups in leveraging
economic and social interests of women. He said that the challenge is to scale up such initiatives. He
referred to affinity groups of MYRADA. MYRADA through its various programs reaches out to people
in various districts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. While the objective is to help the poor
help themselves, MYRADA achieves this by forming Self Help Affinity Groups (SAGs) and through
partnerships with NGOs and other organizations.
He gave examples of marketing linkages formed by self help groups. Shreekant Masale is the largest
producer, processor and distributor of different kind of spices and pickles in Maharashtra. This group has
a supply linkage with women organization called Chaitnya. He also highlighted the experience of Farmer
Interest Group in Uttrakhand. He suggested that organization in the form of cooperative is beneficial than
registration as society because as per the guideline of Reserve Bank of India cooperatives are allowed to
mobilize savings which is not the case with societies.
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Dr. Daman Prakash, Independent Consultant:
Dr. Daman Prakash emphasized on organisation, opportunities/skill development and marketing channels
for economic and social empowerment of women. IFFCO Foundation a public trust of IFFCO had
organized a one day workshop in Delhi with the following objectives:

To recognize significance f women’s day

To take stock of existing situation of women engaged in cooperatives

To identify further avenues for leadership development to empower women through cooperatives
The conference concluded with the following recommendations; train at least 100 women leaders, solicit
cooperation from various supporting sources, develop women leaders/trainers and prepare training
material.As part of the recommendations IFFCO Foundation imparted leadership training to 168 women
across India in 2014-15. The Foundation in partnership with NAFUB organised 2 training sessions in
Meerut, UP, where 27 women leaders were present at the Regional Staff Training Institute at Pallavpuram
and 74 women were present at Talai Gram Sewa Co-operative Society at Bilaspur district of Himachal
Pradesh. IFFCO Foundation in partnership with NCDC and IFFDC also organized training of 29 women
from Udaipur (Rajasthan) and Chinchwara (Madhya Pradesh). IFFCO Foundation organized two more
training programs at New Delhi and Mumbai for training of 25 and 13 women members respectively in
2015.
Audience Participation- Highlights
The conference was conducted in a participatory method. Interaction between the participants and
speakers was encouraged. The participants included women from various Self Help Groups from rural
areas from Uttrakhand, Rajasthan and MP. The participants also included members of cooperatives and
self help group who took part in the leadership training program organized by IFFCO Foundation.
Concluding Session
Mrs. Uma Prabhu concluded the conference by emphasizing the role of women in gender equality through
putting an end to discrimination faced by girl child in the society starting from the family.
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Mr. J N L Srivastava, Managing Trustee, IFFCO Foundation concluded the Conference by emphasizing
that the cooperative sector should play an active role in women empowerment. He mentioned that the
proceedings and recommendations of the Conference shall be circulated to relevant stakeholders.
Summary of Recommendations:

There are 6 lakhs cooperatives in the country which would have to induct two women
directors in the board. In this context there is a need for training women leaders to reach
the target of 12 lakh women leaders for 6 lakh cooperatives.

Analyze interconnecting issues emerging from Fourth World Conference on Women in
Beijing, 1995 and Global Conference on Women in Agriculture, 2012 in the form of a
matrix which could provide tremendous way forward for gender equality.

Advocacy for creation of a special fund for women in agriculture.

The gender and equity model of Indian Cooperative Network for Women may be
applicable for other cooperatives with the objective of creating an enabling and
comfortable space for women, identification of beneficiary, and training of women
members to rise to managerial positions within the cooperative.

Organization in the form of cooperative is beneficial than registration as society because
as per the guideline of Reserve Bank of India cooperatives are allowed to mobilize savings
which is not the case with societies.

In the context of feminization of agriculture women farmers may take advantage of the
schemes of Ministry of Agriculture. Some of the major programmes of Department of
Agriculture for filling skill gaps are Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Bringing Green
Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), Pulses and Oilseeds Villages in Rain fed areas, Saffron
Mission in J&K, National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and National Horticulture Mission may
target women farmers for skill development
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