SEWA's National Dialogue on "Women, Work and Food Systems - Voices from Grassroots"
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SEWA’s National Dialogue on “Women, Work and Food Systems -
Voices from Grassroots”
June 19, 2021
BACKGROUND
The UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) though its various Action Tracks has been working towards bringing forward a
series of concrete action plans to support the transformation of the world’s food system. However, while the Food
Systems Summit workstreams and regional and state dialogues focused on the issues of gender, food systems and
gender transformative approaches with multi-stakeholders, the issues and challenges of the people who make the
base of agriculture i.e., the marginal rural women farmers and landless labourers had not been represented in the
game changing solutions.
To offer the small and marginal women farmers and informal sector women workers engaged in the food systems
across India a platform to bring forth their issues, challenges and solutions to enhance their visibility, identity and
livelihood in the food system in the presence of appropriate policy makers, private sector organisations, scientists and
individual consumers, SEWA convened a National Dialogue on “Women, Work and Food Systems: Voices from
Grassroots” on 19th June, 2021.
REPORT
The Dialogue, moderated by Mr Yogesh Ghore, COADY International Institute, Canada, was attended by 162
participants which included a balanced representation from the Govt of India, Academia, Scientists, SEWAs’ members
from 18 states (involved in Food System activities) and members of the National Farmers’ Forum.
The Speakers at the Dialogue were an eclectic mix of prominent personalities from the Ministry of Commerce, India,
Niti Aayog, Research Centres, Policy Makers, SEWA team members and most importantly, SEWAs’ grassroot members
who are closely associated with the Food System:Speakers at the National Dialogue
SN Food Industry SEWA Grassroot Members
1 Prof Ramesh Chand Ms Reema Nanavaty Ms Mubarak Sipai
Niti Aayog Director, SEWA Aravalli (Gujarat)
2 Mr Pawan Agarwal Ms Manali Ms Nazrana Malik
Addl Chief Secy, Ministry of Commerce, GOI Vice President, SEWA Kashmir
3 Mr Dilip Kulkarni, Ms Kapila Wankar Ms Kailash Chauhan Rajasthan
(Jain Irrigation) President, SEWA
4 Mr Karl Darjeeling Ms Heena Dave, Director RUDI Ms Sakhiben Aahir
CARE Dist Coordinator, Surendranagar Small farmer, Gujarat
5 Mr Suresh Reddy Ms Chandrikaben Patel Ms Savita Dakhle
Centre for Economic & Social Studies SEWA Milk Cooperatives Small farmer, Auranabad,
Maharashtra
6 Ms Uma Swaminathan
Director, Kamla
The Dialogue
The Session began with opening remarks by Ms Manali Shah, Vice President, SEWA reiterating and outlining the
purpose of the Dialogue – that is, to bring together the smallholder women farmers and landless laborers with the
appropriate people in the food industry, discuss and deliberate on their issues and challenges and identify solutions
to facilitate their seamless integration in mainstream agriculture and food systems, thus ensuring them Work, Income
and Food security.
This was followed by Ms Kapilaben Wankar, President, SEWA, and a grassroot
farmer herself, enumerating the difficulties faced by marginal women farmers
(included in issues and challenges below). Kapilaben also stressed on the
importance of including grassroot women while framing policies related to the
Food System.
Post the opening remarks, a highly interactive and engaging session with grassroot participation followed, from which
the following issues, challenges and solutions emerged:
Sakhiben, Patan, Gujarat
“30 years back, in our region, there were no solutions for
conservation of rainwater. People used to migrate away for labour
work. SEWA helped make small ponds and check dams and taught us
how to conserve water.
In our district, Cumin cultivation is done in abundance. However, the
farmers felt that by using more chemical fertilizers and more
pesticides, they will have better crops. But SEWA has begun training programs and changed their beliefs. I became
a Master Trainer for Sustainable Cumin farming and have enrolled 1,200 members where I impart trainings on
organic farming practices and getting higher produce with lesser expenses.
Also, poor farmers do not have all the necessary tools and equipment for farming. So, SEWA has established an
innovative tools and machine library for farming. Poor farmers who cannot afford their own tools and machines
take tools from the library by paying service charges.”
1. The Issues and Challenges in the Food System
A lack of integration of women workers in production and consumption of food
Most of the policies, schemes and subsidies are associated to land and hence smallholder farmers, share
croppers & agricultural labourers not unable to access them. Despite women taking care of major field activities, they are “unpaid workers” as they rarely have access to
market and the income as well as benefits linked to farming is received by the male members of the family due
to them being the title-holders of farm lands. According to a study done by World Economic Forum, 66% of the
work done by women in India is unpaid work.
Women farmers do not have voice, visibility or validity in the decision-making process in mainstream agricultural
practices and overall food system.
This lack of visibility results in disentitlement to benefits as well as lack of access to agricultural extension services
Increasingly frequent climate and market shocks make agriculture unprofitable, unsustainable and unviable.
Most of the training and capacity building programs on technology and farm activities being attended by male
members of the family and women being deprived of the same opportunity.
Modernised, heavy farming machinery and equipment is not women-compatible and usable only by men,
rendering the women unemployable.
2. Suggested Solutions for the above Challenges in the Food System :
An integration of the entire food system from “Seed to Food” i.e., the entire process from seed to cultivation,
production, distribution & consumption of food to be integrated to achieve the goals of good nutrition for the
people, income for small holder farmers and sustainability of the food system.
Capacity building and skill
development of women farmers and Mubarakben Sipahi, Aravalli
laborers on farm planning, farm “I am a SEWA member since the last 14 years. I
management, marketing and supply
chain management. never went out of my house earlier and did not
Resilience building of the smallholder know anything about finance. After attending
farmers to absorb climate and market
training programs from SEWA, we started a Savings
shocks through an agriculture
resilience and recovery fund. Group and Credit group in our village, of which I
Enabling women farmers to have the became a Leader. Later, I also became a RUDIben
rights to the title of their land
and started selling RUDI products. Earlier, I used to
Enabling women farmers to have a
voice in decision-making & policy walk from door-to-door selling RUDI products.
implementation in the Food System. Today, I am proud to be able to sell RUDI products
Addressing the issue of women’s
worth Rs 50,000- Rs 100,000 in a month on my
unpaid labour and skewed balance of
work. Activa Scooter, which I purchased from my own
Bringing about gender responsive
earnings. I have got an identify as a Rudiben in my
agriculture & food system policies;
bridging gender & technology gaps. village and my respect has increased. Thank you
Understanding the role of Sewa.”
“uncultivated greens” and
encouraging its cultivation as it forms a major part of the diet of poor, rural families along with being a powerful
source of nutrition.
Decentralizing and diversifying the food markets with a wide range of local products.
Linking the produce of smallholder women farmers to the Public Distribution System which would help in food
grains produced by the farmers being available for their consumption, consumption for their family members
and the local villagers.
Enabling the farmers to get assured markets and fair price of their produce to attain income security.
Promoting local agro-processing industry to increase employment opportunities for youth in villages & reducing
migration to urban areas.
Organising women to come together for collective marketing, bargaining & demand for better services.
Introducing progressive policies empowering women in food systems to reduce gender based violence.Kailashben Chauhan, Dungarpur, Rajasthan
“When I joined SEWA, no women from my village were getting out of their house and
working. But because I joined SEWA, other women also
started doing so and today we are a strong association
of 18,000 women in our district. Earlier, small
farmers did not know how to do farming and how to
sell their smalls produce in markets. SEWA trained us
through National Farmers Forum and provided us with market linkages. Now, apart from
growing for our family’s consumption, we can sell our produce to RUDI and other
markets and earn additional income at fair market price without any middlemen. Due to
this, our poor farmers are able to educate their children and there are enough food
grains at home for the families’ consumption. Earlier, farmers used to mortgage their
land and other assets to meet their daily requirements. Now, because of SEWA, they
don’t have to mortgage anything.”
3. SEWA’s Interventions
The RUDI model was enumerated throughout the discussion by almost all the Speakers and identified as an
example of a successful women-led organisation, integrating the smallholder farmers and landless laborers into
an agri-social business enterprise, using its own procurement channels, processing centers, packaging units and a
distribution network, resulting in the
smallholder farmers getting an assured
Nazranaben Malik,Kashmir market, fair returns for their produce &
“In the last 2 years, due to COVID-19, Kashmiri landless laborers getting employment.
families are suffering. But in the 80 villages where Based on RUDI’s success & the need of the
rural areas where it operates, SEWA has
women have received SEWA trainings, women
established many other women-led social
gathered strength, re-started their supply chain, enterprises. Dairy Cooperatives in Gujarat,
processed, graded, packed and sold their produce in Kamla (a food processing initiative
providing nutritious cooked snack & food
markets. We sold cherries, apples, apricots and
items) in Gujarat, fruit processing
honey in other states like Gujarat as well with enterprises in Kashmir, Artisans
SEWA’s help. The women worked hard & were Cooperatives in Rajasthan are some of the
other successful initiatives by SEWA,
able to generate income despite COVID. This was
following the same principles of local
possible only because of the trainings and support production and consumption.
from SEWA. Even the lower quality of apples
which were earlier discarded, could be sold to The grassroot speakers also spoke of the
many interventions by SEWA promoting
corporates which generated additional income for
capacity building and livelihood
the poor families. We are thankful to SEWA that opportunities in their villages. Training
the women here have been trained and programs in agriculture and agro-
processing, leadership, soft skill
empowered. Now, we have an identity & dignity &
development, digital and financial literacy,
can step out of our houses with our heads held etc, creche facilities, Food Fodder Security,
high.” are some of the continuous interventions
by SEWA enhancing the income earning
capabilities of its rural members and providing them with work, income and food security. Boxes here show some
of the members’ quotes in their own words.4. Summary
The dialogue established that in order to enable real progress for the smallholder women farmers and landless
laborers, there is a need for a comprehensive and inclusive approach that integrates women producers into
mainstream agriculture and food system activities, provides them long-term, sustainable support and creates for
them better access to financial services and markets.
Further, to achieve truly transformative changes in the Food System, it is critical that all the issues, challenges and
solutions identified should not be considered in silos, but viewed holistically, with the implementation of solutions
and policies being done in complete synergy between the Private Sector, Public Sector, NGOs and the grassroot
members. Replication of SEWA’s models of social enterprises and cooperatives across the country can bring
about truly transformative changes in the lives of millions of informal workers in our country.
SEWA will carry forward all the challenges and solutions identified through the discussions, nationally and to the
UNFSS with the intent of ensuring work security, income security and food security for our smallholder farmers
and landless laborers.You can also read
