Strengthening women’s empowerment and leadership in agri-food systems is crucial to increase agricultural productivity, food security and nutrition, and resilience to climate change impacts. Global experts and researchers reached these conclusions at the close of the international gender conference From research to impact: Towards just and resilient agri-food systems, which took place in New Delhi on 9th-12th October 2023 and which was hosted by the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

 

These insights are particularly timely as they follow on the heels of the successful G20 Summit, during which G20 leaders committed to advancing women-led development and women’s leadership in food security, nutrition and climate action.

 

The research-backed evidence presented during the conference is clear: Intentionally designing agricultural programs, projects, and policies to increase women’s empowerment leads to better outcomes for everyone, including increased agricultural productivity, better nutrition for children, improved dietary diversity as well as greater food security and climate resilience.

 

Farmer Producer Organisations, or other types of collectives, were highlighted as a best-bet approach that can boost women’s access to markets, resources, agency and empowerment. Research also shows that fostering women’s leadership in all levels of innovation, decision-making and policy formulation is the only way to achieve just and resilient agri-food systems.

 

Summarizing key insights from the conference deliberations, Assistant Director General (HRD), ICAR, Dr. Seema Jaggi said that G20 leaders agreed on four priority areas: investments in food security and nutrition, climate-smart approaches, inclusive agricultural value chains and digitalization for agricultural transformation. She said that CGIAR and ICAR can play a key role in informing these four priority areas.

 

Country Representative for India and Research Leader of Gender and Livelihoods, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Dr Ranjitha Puskur said that A final call to action relates to stronger partnerships between researchers and research users. This week we are working with one of the largest national agricultural research systems in the world. We need to strengthen these partnerships as we cannot generate the evidence we need to be able inform policymaking without heavily engaging with the national agricultural research systems. Dr Puskur also highlighted the need for strengthening partnerships between researchers, policymakers, and the private sector.

 

Speaking in the closing plenary session on Thursday were, in addition to Dr Puskur , Dr Jaggi and Senior Director of Program Quality and Partnerships at CARE USA, Dr Maureen Miruka, Dr Stefan Kachelriess-Matthess, Senior Programme Manager, GIZ and Senior Program Officer, Women’s Empowerment, Agriculture Development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ms Vicki Wilde.?As key development partners, they gave their perspectives on what is needed to move from research to impact, including renewed focus on designing agricultural solutions that consider the needs and constraints of women smallholders.

 

The four-day international agricultural gender research conference, which comprised 4 plenary sessions, 54 parallel sessions, and 6 poster sessions, brought together delegates from more than 60 countries, deliberating how agricultural gender research can contribute to more resilient and just agri-food systems.

The agricultural sector in India is undergoing a remarkable transformation, driven by rapid advancements in technology and innovative practices. This evolution is further accelerated by the significant presence of Agri-Start-ups and private sector entities equipped with cutting-edge technological capabilities. The integration of a robust Digital Public Infrastructure, harnessing the potential of the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning, has already demonstrated promising outcomes in this domain. Additionally, the sector is witnessing the emergence of unique themes such as hyperspectral data analysis, photo-analytics, and the retrieval of precise weather parameters through geostationary satellites. Segmentation techniques and parcel-level crop mapping are providing unprecedented insights, thereby enhancing the efficiency and precision of agricultural practices. These collective advancements signify a pivotal moment in agriculture, ushering in an era of unprecedented productivity and sustainability. Consequently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is taking strategic steps and initiatives to ensure that the exponential growth in the Agri-tech sector is appropriately leveraged for the benefit of farmers across the country.

 

 In order to leverage these innovations, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has constituted a screening committee that comprises experts in the field from esteemed institutions such as IITs, IIMs, IISc, IISERs, etc. This also has domain experts and experts from the industry. This committee will evaluate innovative solutions that directly impact the well-being of farmers. For this, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has prepared a set of problem statements on which the proposals are being invited from the such interested entities. This has open an avenue for the entities who are working or willing to work in the agriculture sector and apply their innovative solutions to address the inherent challenges of the sector.    The agri-tech sector has seen exponential growth over the last decade due to young talents who are earnestly working for the sector. One of the challenges faced by such entities is the lack of reliable data and strategic guidance from the sector. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare will shape and provide opportunities to all such entities by providing them the necessary support in the form of the ecosystem to pilot their solutions and perfect to effectively address the challenges If the solutions is innovative then these may be implemented at nationwide.  

 

The Ministry will invite Expressions of Interest (EoI), and proposals on the problem statements from Agri techs, start-ups, etc. to collaborate and share their expertise with the government. This inclusive approach seeks to facilitate a dynamic exchange of ideas and knowledge, ensuring a comprehensive approach to advancing the agricultural sector. The committee will seek presentations from potential collaborators, aiming to identify specific technologies and targeted interventions that align with the unique demands of the Indian agriculture landscape. Rigorous evaluation, including a comprehensive assessment of the concept, value proposition, and action plan, will be undertaken to gauge the feasibility and scalability of proposed initiatives. Based on this assessment, the committee will make informed recommendations, identifying suitable entities for collaboration with the Ministry. In certain cases, pro-bono partnerships may be encouraged, particularly for piloting innovations and subsequently scaling them up. Through these concerted efforts, the committee aims to drive significant progress and innovation in the agricultural domain, ultimately benefiting farmers across the nation.

 

The interested entities may download the form, along with the problem statements and framework for leveraging innovations in the Agricultural Sector, which have been uploaded on the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare website (www.agricoop.gov.in).  The calendar for submissions of the proposal area as under:

Sr. No.	Critical Dates	From (Date)	To (Date)	Time
1.	Documents download	12.10.2023	31.10.2023	1000 Hrs
2.	Proposal submission	18.10.2023	07.11.2023	1500 Hrs

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Piyush Goyal has said that the quality consciousness in the people and awareness of the consumers of the country for quality, created through to the efforts of this government, will help give a new direction to the country.

 

He was speaking on the eve of World Standards Day at the event, ‘Shared Vision for a Better World: Standards for Sustainable Development Goals, organized by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today. Shri Goyal said that the mindset on quality brought about due to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reflected in the world class infrastructure that is being created in the country, and Bharat Mandalam is a living example of this. He pointed out that the country earned a huge respect globally when it hosted the G20 Summit in this world class facility.

 

Speaking on the initiatives of BIS, Shri Goyal said that there are over seven thousand BIS Standards Clubs today and about 2 lakh students have benefited from this initiative. He said that BIS has a target of establishing 10 thousand such clubs by next year. The new videos and books on quality issues that are being created, some of which were unveiled today, and the connect with the people till the level of Panchayats that is being attempted on these issues, will give rich results in days to come, he said.

 

Shri Goyal pointed out that Department of Consumer Affairs touches the lives of each and every citizen of the country. The ecosystem of Standards has expanded in recent years to include almost all sectors including agriculture, roads, health care etc, all states and private sector, he said, adding that we will all work on the vision of zero effect, zero defect of Prime Minister to reach our goals.

 

The event was also graced with the presence of Shri Ashwani Kumar Chaubey, the Hon’ble Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Smt. Nidhi Khare, Special Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs and Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari, Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards.

 

World Standards Day is observed every year on October 14th and highlights the collaboration between the leading International Standards Organizations. The chosen theme for World Standards Day in 2023 is 'Shared Vision for a Better World: Incorporating Sustainable Development Goal (SDG3) for Good Health and Well-Being.' SDG 3 aims to improve global health by reducing maternal and child mortality, combating major diseases, and ensuring access to essential healthcare services. It emphasizes universal health coverage and the importance of quality care without financial hardship. Through preventive measures, vaccinations, and better healthcare infrastructure, SDG 3 strives to create a healthier world that benefits individuals, communities, and nations. It also aims to provide access to safe, effective, and affordable medicines and vaccines for all. Achieving the goals of SDG 3 requires collaboration, innovative solutions, and addressing global health disparities.

 

This theme highlights the importance of fostering a united vision to create a more sustainable and inclusive world that prioritizes the well-being and good health of all individuals. The event also serves as a platform to recognize the collective endeavours of countless experts worldwide who contribute to the field of standardization, while also providing an opportunity to reflect on the path ahead.

 

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) commemorated the World Standards Day by organising a wide range of consumer centric activities across the country through its robust network of regional and branch offices spread across India. The key activities conducted as part of the celebrations of the World Standards Day 2023 included - Quality Connect programs also known as Youth-to-Youth Connect, Manak Mahotsav, household connect, where they visited households to promote awareness about the BIS care app and BIS standards.