The first of its kind Women of India Organic Mela begins at Dilli Haat, INA in New Delhi today
The first of its kind Women of India Organic Mela begins at Dilli Haat, INA
in New Delhi today
The Union Minister of Women and Child Development,
Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi and the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’
Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh inaugurated the first of its kind Women of
India Exhibition with the theme ‘Women and organic Products’ at ‘Dilli Haat,
INA in New Delhi today.
For the first time in India, over 500 women
artisans /entrepreneurs across the country have come together with their
organic products, such as tribal and ethnic foods, pickles and preserves, rice,
pulses, spices, vegetables and fruits, fabrics, dyes and dresses, cosmetics and
household products, in the exhibition.
Appreciating the unique initiative of the Women and
Child Development Ministry, Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that a
commendable effort has been made to reach out to the women farmers directly.
The Agriculture Minister offered that the Agriculture Ministry will be
happy to provide funds for promoting such Women of India Organic Melas across
the country.
Smt Maneka Gandhi said that the people visiting
Dilli Haat will get an opportunity to buy a variety of organic products
including large number of varieties of rice, rajma, pulses , spices, other
grains , honey and handicrafts. Women from Leh to Kanyakumari and from Kohima
to Kutch are represented in the mela , which has given women farmers a
platform to display and sell their products directly to the people, the
Minister added.
The Exhibition has been set up with the active
involvement of three organizations Navdanya , P R Grid and Organic
Farming Association of (OFAI) , who have tried to ensure full
participation of organic women farmers and organic producers from places as
diverse and far as Ladakh, Assam and Odisha. Other organisations at the
exhibition include HIMVEER, ASMI international, ATP Greentech , AMIRA , Sonal
White Cub Dairy-Free Ice Creams among others and a large number of small
farmers from across the country.
Another unique feature of the exhibition will
be ‘Forgotten Foods’ like millets such as jhongora, ragi, kuttu, bajra,
amaranth, etc which were earlier regarded as healthy foods eaten by all but
have lost their popularity over time..
Some of the other organic products for
exhibition/sale include cereals, oils, honey, tea, hair care, bath care,
beauty care, aromatherapy products, organic cotton fabric, linen, organic seeds
and bio products among others.
Besides organic products, people will also get an
opportunity to taste a variety of home-cooked and organic food in the Haat.
The main aim of the Exhibition is to support and
encourage women and women-led groups which promote organic farming thus
supporting local community’s economy, creating jobs and keeping farmers
thriving in addition to spreading awareness about the benefits of organic
products with the motto “Eat Healthy Live Healthy”.
The Ministry has made entry of visitors free on all
days of the Exhibition.
The ‘Women of India Exhibition’ is a special
initiative of WCD Ministry for women’s empowerment under which it invites the
women, meets their travel and local accommodation costs, but allows them to
keep all the proceeds recovered from the sale of organic produce.
Post a Comment