Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Aug 15: Shabnam (23) soon after completing her BA decided to set up her own venture.
Having not enough knowledge about farming exotic vegetables, she sought help from the experts to grow a few varieties.
Within a year, she found an enormous response as she utilised social media to promote her farm.
“Now I have expanded my business. Now I grow more than 20 varieties of vegetables, mostly exotic. I also started growing mushrooms, which too is fetching me good returns,” she said.
Like Shabnam, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a remarkable rise in women entrepreneurs, driven by the growth of self-help groups (SHGs) and targeted training programs.
Over seven lakh women are now associated with approximately 90,000 SHGs across the region, providing them with the support and resources needed to venture into various entrepreneurial activities.
The initiative has been especially transformative for women in agriculture. Around three lakh women farmers have received specialized training, equipping them with the skills to enhance productivity and sustainability in their farming practices.
These trained women have gone on to establish nearly two lakh agriculture nutrition gardens, which are now crucial in meeting the nutritional needs of their families as well as generating income for them.
An official said that more women from Jammu and Kashmir were choosing to set up their individual units to build avenues for their employment. “Given the rise of agri-preneurship across the country, Jammu and Kashmir too has witnessed a remarkable growth in the number of women agri-preneurs. These women grow mushrooms, exotic vegetables and flowers to generate income for themselves. As such the government is running scores of schemes to empower the women folk of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission, known as UMEED JK, is at the forefront to train and assist women in setting up their units.
Through various initiatives and programs, UMEED is empowering women, honing their skills, and creating brighter opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
