8 minute read
Girl Power Project
TEAM GIRL POWER
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‘S
pices and Condiments’ are natural plant or vegetable products or mixtures used in whole or ground form, mainly for imparting flavour, aroma and pungency to food. In terms of meaning, both the terms ‘Spices and Condiments’ are same but with a minor difference. Spices are food ingredients used to season food during its preparation, whereas a condiment is eaten alongside food to add extra flavour. It is usually added to food immediately before consuming the food such as salt, pepper, mustard, chili sauce, chutney, ketchup, pickle etc. Spices and condiments have a unique and essential place in our food cultures. They are high value and low volume crops, yielding high income per unit area (pepper, cardamom, saffron, etc.) There is also good export demand for Indian spices because of high quality.
Spices are important everyday ingredients for our food and form an important wing of horticulture. The history of spice trade in India dates far back. India is the world’s largest spice consumer, producer, and exporter. Because of its texture, scent, flavour, and medicinal characteristics, Indian spices are highly sought after around the world. India produced 10.7 million tonne of spices in 2020-21. Spice consumption in an Indian family is tremendous, hence the market is rising at a rate of 40,000 crores per year. When there is so much potential in the spice business that guarantees significant returns with cheap investment, anyone can establish a business, even a home-based spice production business which can yield profits. Thus, entrepreneurship in spice production has been identified as a potential area of intervention.
ObjeCTIve Of The CapaCITy buIldIng Of WOmen enTrepreneurS In SpICe makIng
India produced 10.7 million tonnes of spices in the year 2020-21. There is high potential in the spice business which guarantees significant returns with cheap investment. Thus, spice
Women participants during the training programme
production has been identified as a potential business for entrepreneurs in the country.
The main goal of the girl power project is to create rural women entrepreneurs and enterprises in order to provide them with opportunities for growth, financial stability, and socioeconomic inclusion and recognition. Training on spices was arranged after seeing the potential market for women entrepreneurs with an objective of creating women entrepreneurs and building skills and capacity to foster their entrepreneurial skill.
CapaCITy buIldIng Of WOmen enTrepreneurS On SpICeS (maSala) & allIed prOduCTS makIng
Changing dietary preferences and growing awareness of the medicinal properties of spices like cloves, cinnamon, and turmeric have increased the demand of spices in the market. after determining the potential of business of spices for women beneficiaries, the Girl Power project organised a three-day nonresidential training on spice making at mango area, east Singhbhum district of jharkhand with 50 women beneficiaries during 22-24 September 2022. In the training, the facilitator displayed to the women different types of spices available in the market such as ‘garam masala powder’, ‘aam chur powder’, ‘chat masala’, ‘meat masala’, ‘sabzi masala’, and ‘sambhar masala.’ It was demonstrated how these masala powders are made and the different ingredients required to make the masala. The spices need to be of high quality and without any adulteration, in order to make a mark in the competitive spice market, for which the women need to ensure the composition. With the help of raw material and a simple mixer grinder, the facilitator practically demonstrated the whole process of running a small business form home. The raw materials are easily acquired ingredients like red chilli, haldi, cumin seeds, dhania, pepper, bay leaf, and curry leaf. To pack dried powders, foodgrade packing materials and cardboard boxes were required for proper and hygienic packaging. according to investment capability, anyone can establish a spice business on a small, medium, or large scale. Training with 50 women beneficiaries on ‘papad’, ‘badi’ and ‘achar’ making was also organized at Chauka block of Seraikela district during 25-27 September 2022.
Hands-on training on spice business
SCOpe Of SpICeS (maSala) & allIed prOduCTS makIng aS a COTTage enTerprISe
Since spices are such ubiquitous kitchen ingredients, the technical knowhow of the business will already be known to the women. Spice making presents many advantages to women. There is flexibility in the business which will be feasible for them. One can devote as much time as they want to it. Secondly, this business can be started off with a low investment cost and has a high probability of profits. Spice business does not require a large place. One can even start the enterprise from home. however, if one does not have space, they must search for a location where they can dry and grind the spices. Spice grinding machines are available in the markets at different prices and in different types and capacity. If the women entrepreneurs are doing this work on a small scale, then they can also grind and sell spices in a simple home mixer available with them. If they are doing this on a large scale then they will have to get many machines like cleaner, dryer, grinder, special powder blade and weighing and packaging equipment. If someone who is not a farmer but wants to start a spice-making business as a cottage enterprise, they can buy and sell spices at their local market. The profit margin in the business is 40-50 per cent.
OuTCOme
Through this training, the women participants were able to understand the potential that this business idea holds and its value addition. The project aims to create women entrepreneurs and promote social entrepreneurship. developing entrepreneurship skills in rural women will help endow them with a source of financial stability, thereby empowering them. Thus, the women entrepreneurs will not only be able to earn their living but also enhance and uplift the socio-economic status of their families. looking at the market demand, it has the potential of being one of the best profit-generating skills one can learn.
One-day training for elected representatives of Budhani constituency was held on October 12, 2022 in CM House in the presence of Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister, Government of Madhya Pradesh. The event was organised in collaboration with AIILSG and Sunderlal Patwa National Institute of Urban Management, Bhopal. During the event, reading material developed for the elected representatives was also launched by the Chief Minister
All Chhattisgarh Jal Jeevan Mission Implementing Support Agency deliberation meeting was organised at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on September 8, 2022. AIILSG shared the best practices they are adopting in their work in different districts Gwalior Startup meet was organised by AIILSG in coordination with International Urban and Regional Cooperation Program (IURC), which is funded and supported by the European Union, Gwalior Smart City and Gwalior Municipal Corporation. Officials from European Union and state ministry, Mayor, Collector, Commissioner and Smart City CEO joined the 75+ registered startups under AIILSG’s Gwalior Incubation Centre
Nitin Gadkari outlines roadmap for green economy
New Delhi: The international Center for Climate and Sustainability Action Foundation organised the first conference in the series titled “Climate Goals: Technological Roadmap to Net Zero” at le Meridian hotel, New Delhi. These events focus on knowledge sharing on the Green house Gas (GhGs) emissions, including methane, from five important sectors in India— oil and gas, coal mining and coalbed, agriculture and livestock, landfill sites and waste, and transportation. All india institute of local SelfGovernment (AiilSG) is one of the partners for this project. Other events in the series would be organised between September 2022 and April 2023 in various cities.
Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and highways, Government of india, was the Chief Guest. Other dignitaries who graced the event included Dr J S Sharma, the Summit Chair and Convenor, former GGMhead (environment), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC); Dr N Kalaiselvi, Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSiR), and Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSiR); Dr J P Gupta, Chairman, environment Committee, Progress, harmony and Development Chamber of Commerce and industry (PhDCCi); and Dr Rakesh Kumar, Special Duty Officer, CSIR.
Dr J S Sharma introduced the panellists to the audience and elaborated how leaders of the nation were working to achieve Net Zero goal by 2070. he called attention to the fact that climate change is a challenge that humanity is facing, which must be addressed and planned accordingly. Dr N Kalaiselvi stated that three primary missions of CSIR—Carbon Capture Utilisation Storage, CSiR h2T Mission, and lithium battery technology are ongoing. She mentioned, “CSiR is very much in place to support all the Government of india’s announced schemes, and we will also make sure that we will help the government of india to reach the unreached.”
Gadkari, addressed the audience by stating that there are three important pillars of society- ethics, economy, ecology and environment. People must look for solutions to resolve the problems of climate change caused by anthropogenic emissions and create a clean and green atmosphere. he mentioned how the government had allowed the production of ethanol from sugarcane, C-molasses, B-molasses, corn, broken rice, and food grains, with the help of which we have been able to produce over 450 crore litre of ethanol till now. he concluded by stating, “This is the time for the country that we need to take the help from all stakeholders to achieve the goal of net zero carbon. it is a big task and a big challenge. it is difficult but it is possible.”
Following the address of Gadkari, J P Gupta stressed on the importance of focusing more on carbon-negative rather than discussing carbon zero. he said, “de-carbonisation needs to happen not only in the industries but in the human minds. You will be surprised to know that the de-carbonisation of human activity is taking place through digitisation, communication, and data regulation. india is leading in this area. No one knows about that.”
The last panellist to speak, Dr Rakesh Gupta, focused on greenhouse gases and how india has to have different ways of tackling the issues. The inaugural address of the experts was followed by two other events— ‘Setting the Context’ and a panel discussion centred around the theme ‘Opinions and Settings of india’s Mandate for Research and Development, innovation, Technology, entrepreneurship, and Policy’.
