Understanding the need to rebuild rural livelihoods and improve women’s health awareness in under-developed areas of Maharashtra, Bayer is collaborating with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a global service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development & international education work and Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM), a semi-government corporation focused on women’s development.
Over a yearlong INR 8.7 crores Covid-response program - Bayer, GIZ and MAVIM would support rural women smallholders in the state with focus on Vidarbha, Marathwada and Amaravati districts. Bayer, GIZ and MAVIM are working together in a development partnership of the develoPPP.de programme, which the GIZ implements on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Narain, Senior Bayer Representative, South Asia said, “This project holds special significance for Bayer as we are contributing towards better nutrition and health for rural women, with interventions from both our Crop Science and Pharmaceuticals businesses. Bayer will support women smallholders to improve their livelihoods through agricultureand create awareness on women’s health topics”. He added that “Bayer has a long association with GIZ both globally and in India. MAVIM is driving several state government livelihood programs in Maharashtra and creating powerful social impact. With strong partners such as GIZ and MAVIM, Bayer aims to empower rural women and make them more self-reliant.”
Till now, Bayer has engaged with 30 locally registered Women Farmer Federations in nine districts of Maharashtra covering 30 blocks. Each of these Federations has more than 2,000 members. Over 2,500 farmers across 13 blocks have received agri-inputs and advisory and the Farmer Federations plan to obtain agri-inputs for over 500 to 1,000 farmers for summer vegetables with an aim to reach 6,000 farmers throughout the Kharif season in 2021.
Rajeev Ahal, Director NRM & Agroecology, GIZ India said, “GIZ, on behalf of BMZ, is already supporting 6,000 women smallholder farmers with agri-input kits for cultivation of vegetables, pulses and corn. Bayer will complement this with advisory services and training across nine districts to indirectly impact 20,000 farmers. This would be done through Model Farms with plans to set up 80 such farms in Maharashtra in 2021. In addition, GIZ will develop 30 market access points at existing agri-input shops owned by Women Farmer Federations at block levels to facilitate the sale of agri produce seamlessly.
Shraddha Joshi, Managing Director, MAVIM said, “Women across 1,000 villages will be supported by MAVIM’s health workers and will receive training on health modules developed by Bayer. This collaborative project will help us power rural prosperity in underserved districts of Maharashtra and usher growth for farming communities”.
Jyoti Thakare, Chairperson MAVIM said, “MAVIM will sustain its efforts around training and empowerment of women smallholder farmers in Maharashtra even beyond the year-long Covid-Response project. This will be driven through Bayer’s Better Life Farming initiative, where women smallholder farmers and Women Farmer Federations will be empowered to practice commercial farming that will help them earn sustainable incomes, rather than relying on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods”.
