A ''Farmwomen-Scientists Interface and Skill Upgradation Programme on Drudgery Reducing Farm Tools'' was organized for the socio-economic empowerment of women in agriculture under the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan at Balrampur village of Athagarh block in Cuttack district on 7th August, 2019.

With the vision of doubling the income of farm families, the adopted village under MGMG national programme was visited. The farmwomen were sensitized on various issues they confront in their day to day work due to their involvement in agricultural and allied activities, especially in the field of vegetable cultivation. Some of their queries and problems were taken up during the interface organized and were tried to meet through proposed horticultural interventions like round the year vegetable cultivation, scientific management of vegetable crops and off-season vegetable production, from the experts in the team. Various know how of keeping, maintaining and rearing of livestock was also imparted during the discussion on livestock technologies. Much required awareness was created among farmwomen on drudgery and its effect and impact, for which hampers of drudgery reducing farm tools were distributed to the SC beneficiaries after the interface including improved varieties of vegetable seeds for kharif production. The programme was attended by a cluster of 50 farmwomen from scheduled caste communities.

The Scientific and Technical team from ICAR-CIWA, Dr. Lipi Das, Dr. Biswanath Sahoo, Dr. J. Charles Jeeva, Ms. Gayatri Moharana, Shri. Sanjay Kr. Behera and Shri. Atul Chetan Hemrom delivered technical talks and attended the queries of the farm families on farming, vegetable cultivation and livestock management aspects.