As a society, we are yet to fully realize the true potential of women, who make up half of the rural talent pipeline in India and have the ability to make enormous contributions to the cause of expanding agriculture.
The fact that only a few women are currently opting to pursue professions in this field emphasizes that only half of their potential skills are being utilized in the sector which is full of immense possibilities and growth.
To address the issue, Krishi Jagran has partnered with FMC Corporation, a leader in agricultural sciences on a global scale, to raise awareness of the substantial employment options available to women in this promising industry.
FMC Corporation is widening its doors to empower women while also providing them with excellent career and advancement prospects in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
By the year 2027, it plans to achieve an ambitious goal of gender parity across the entire organization. FMC is certain that the innovation and efficiency of women's talent can upend this industry.
The webinar featured five women who had successfully carved out a niche in the business, successfully navigating through the agri-input market.
The goal of the webinar was to encourage other women to consider agribusiness as a potential career option through the panelists' extensive experiences in the field. The female professionals at FMC talked about their challenges, accomplishments, and ideas for attracting more women to this crucial field.
Anika Bassi, AGM Special Initiatives at Krishi Jagran moderated the session with an all-women panel including Akshita Mishra, AGM Marketing FMC, Manisha Ganesan, Area Marketing Manager FMC, Seema Gupta, AGM Marketing FMC, Renuka Baratam, Marketing Executive FMC, and Anu Thahaniya K, Management Trainee at FMC Corporation.
When asked about the gender-based challenges faced throughout her career and how she has addressed them, Akshita Mishra said, "Although it all depends on one's viewpoints, I truly believe that there are no industries that are predominately male or female. When it comes to field occupations, a woman may first encounter difficulties with her male co-workers, but if you're dedicated and good enough at your profession, the early perceptions by your co-workers will eventually fade."
Anu Thahaniya, while explaining why she chose to work in the agro-chemicals sector, which is considered to be a male-dominated industry said, "In my opinion, there are a lot of women working in the agriculture sector overall, both as farm workers and other positions. However, when it comes to professional executives, men tend to outnumber women. Along with having a strong interest in agrochemicals, I also believe that women can participate in the agriculture industry and offer innovative and radical change."
Seema Gupta provided more details on what distinguishes the atmosphere at FMC from that of other groups promoting women's empowerment.
"FMC gives women a fair chance and plenty of opportunities to work respectably in a field that is typically thought of as being dominated by men. Opportunities can be found in tasks, roles, and work flexibility, as well as in understanding how female employees' requirements differ from those of their male co-workers", she stated.
Talking about the advantages of having empowered women in organizations, Manisha Ganesan said, "The presence of empowered women at work acts as a support system for the smaller number of female professionals who choose to work in the heavily male-dominated industry, as they do not feel isolated while carrying out their duties. At FMC, we strongly support this type of workplace environment and frequently hold casual meetings with female co-workers to keep them motivated."
Additionally, the discussion covered a variety of topics related to encouraging women to enter the agribusiness sector and its possible effects, including reducing the gender gap and strengthening the economy.
