SEEAD For Women : Sustainable Education, Entrepreneurship and Agricultural Development for Women

 

2023 means new projects for Blossom. The beginning of the year is marked by the start of the project called SEEAD For Women, meaning “Sustainable Education, Entrepreneurship and Agricultural Development” for Women. 

 

Women play a major role in agricultural production in Tamil Nadu and more generally in India. Indeed, they account for more than a third of the agricultural labour force. However, they are not fully recognised as farmers. Indeed, the recognition of farmers very often depends on the possession of land but only around 12% of women farmers actually own land. As a result, they do not have access to the rights, income and resources associated with status recognition. In addition, climate change affects women farmers proportionally more. The vulnerability of their condition therefore calls for solutions that lead to more resilient living conditions based on the knowledge they possess. 

 

What are we aiming for with this new project? 

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Our ambition is to tackle climate change through an agricultural women-centered model and the dissemination of cutting-edge solutions, technical expertise and sustainable practices. 

 

But what does this project actually involve? 

 

In concrete terms, the SEEAD project aims to give women access to the status of farmer by registering them with the FPO (Farmers Producer Organization). The creation of a community-based FPO and a digital marketplace showcasing the work of women farmers is a very important step towards improving women's economic and social rights and towards the goal of climate-resilient agriculture. 

 

The project embodies the creation of a research hub (the SEEAD centre) where a cultivation area is available to learn and improve agricultural techniques in the face of climate change. Training courses will also be offered (including soil management, environmental preservation, different cultivation and harvesting methods, etc.). Women farmers will also benefit from periodic courses on entrepreneurship, budgetary issues, investment techniques, market access, etc. 

 

Finally, the education and advocacy is very important. We want women farmers to be able to defend their rights and improve their condition in an independent way. 

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