Rural women promote organic products

To encourage women farmers and entrepreneurs in the country, Ministry of Women and Child Development has for the second consecutive year organised the Women of India Festival 2016: Organic Products at Dilli Haat in the national capital. The festival, which will conclude on Sunday, has assembled over 400 rural women from across the country to sell products ranging from fabrics, foodstuff and furniture to wellness, personal care and solar equipment.

The main purpose of the event, according to the organisers, is to promote women entrepreneurship to energise the economy of local communities and to help create job opportunities. “Besides, the festival also intends to highlight the health and environmental advantages of organic goods, provide a platform for women engaged in it and boost the development of sustainable and easily accessible sales outlets for producers of organic products from remote corners of the country,” said a joint secretary in the ministry, who is in charge of the festival.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi explained the importance of organic products: “Organic foods have been proven to contain far more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than similar foods produced with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and preservatives. Organic farming relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost, and natural methods of pest control… With the affordability factor coming into organic produce, we are making a concerted effort to make this alternative a popularly used one to avoid diseases due to chemical use among our people.”