Page 1 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 13
December 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 313
Women Self Help Groups In Agribusiness
*Dr.G.Valentina
Dr.G.Valentna
Associate Prifessor & Head i/C Centre for Equity & Social Development
National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayatiraj Rajendranager Hyderabad-30
Email- myvaluei@gmail.com
Page 2 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 13
December 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 314
Abstract
Demand and supply aspects in Indian agriculture system has undergone profound changes
with input costs outwitting output costs creating serious imbalances effecting livelihoods of people
living and depending on agriculture as their basic means of livelihood in rural areas. Succeeding
production processes, marketing constitutes one of the most important activity pertaining to forward
linkages whch is an hereculean task for the farmer who tries to maximize on the profits through
output costs to meet his input costs in agribusiness. Agribusiness includes breeding, crop
production,farming, seed supply, marketing, grading ,sales and supplies incentivising the farmers
with a minimum support price which is a catch point in agribusiness. However non declaration of
minimum support prices by government, forces the farmers towards distress conditions pushing them
to accept lower price of procurement on agriculture products produced by them. Further, with
Liberalisation and Globalisation and exports and imports receivig much impetus to stabilize the
economy, the farmers are unable to market their produce in the local markets as the price margins
on the commodity are not attractive. Therefore the food grains are sold in distress at a lower price or
are allowed to rot in the godowns and leaving him in deep debts which he is unable to handle. These
situations have driven the farmer to harsh times snatching away his basic survival and some time
pushing him to suicidal tendencies unable to attend to debt issue. It is here that women self help
groups involving themselves in marketing the food grains to the food corporation of India and
salvaged the farmers from the crisis. Women self help gropus of Nalgonda district and Bhon giri
district who are involved in simple thrift and credit activity have federated at the district and state
level and formed a small group and who upon receiving a skill development intervention on grading
and cleaning the food grains have provided an interfacing platform for marketing food grains by not
only aquring minimum support price but also helping farmers market food grains at profitable rates
and provided sustainable livelihoods to support their families and wriggle out from the struggle for
qualitative existence. These interpolations have created opportunities for women to involve and
excel. This case proves that if women are given the opportunity they are motivated to work but if they
are not given the opportunity motivation goes far away from them and they become non performers.
The present case study is one such instance where in uneducated women living in the villages have
taken advantage of the opportunity given to them and created long lasting assets for the community.
1.0 Introduction
E. Shumacher in his book, ‘Small is
Beautiful’, champions empowerment of people
through application of appropriate
technologies. Equally exemplary has been
small informal groups called Self Help Groups
in India, indulging in thrift and credit,
applying appropriate technologies in
production processes and achieving
sustainable livelihoods amounting to
gribusiness production process.It includes
application of pesticides, Fertilisers,
application of machine technology, processing,
seed supply, marketing etc which is a paradigm
shift and a departure from Gunnar Myrdal’s
framework of ‘poverty perpetuates poverty’.
These experiences have grown voluminous in
India, standing witness to women development
and women empowerment.
Women epitomised as symbolic,
conservative, sedentary and traditional in
character have now grown voluntarily into
professional bodies sharing platforms with
male bastions today. A low or no risk taker is a
Page 3 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 13
December 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 315
risk resolver today, unemployed turned
employer, limited involvement to fulltime
decision maker and one who always drew lines
of comfort zones around her is today all set for
imbibing challenges and competition and, as
game players and game changers.
Traditionally, women limited their activities to
tough domestic and farm work culture and
worked with in the confines of their living
spaces and they marketing their produce was
always perceived as a herculean task by them
and relentlessly passesd on the mantle of
marketing to male members of the family.
Eventually women had to satify themselves
with the amount of money brought in as profit
by the male members of the family who
vociferously indulge in marketing.
Fortunately, Commissionerate of
Government of Telangana had channelized
capacity building of women self help groups,
empowering them on skills to test moisture,
grading of food grains and organizing the
transportation of graded food produce
belonging to entire village to the mills for
decortification. Thus they are now amicably
able to manage marketing of food grains for
entire village. Interestingly this strand of
responsibility was picked up by few meagrely
educated, small groups of women self-help
groups who captivated the responsibility of
food grains marketing of Nalgonda District
and it is worth a read and mention which
created marvels and ripples in educated urban
societies. Present paper is a discussion of the
success story of SHGs involved in marketing
of food grains. Self help groups from two
districts namely, Nalgonda and Bhongiri
Districts have been seleceted to present
phemenomenal marketing of food grains.
1.2 PROFILE OF DISTRICTS IN THE
STUDY AREA
1.2.1 Profile of Nalgonda District
Nalgonda District is situated in the
eastern part of Mahaboobnagar District. Total
population of the district is 34, 88.809 as per
2011 census. The district hoists one of the
biggest dams of the world namely
Nagarjunsagar Dam, built on river Krishna
that irrigates over 10 lakh acres of land.
Historically it is a Buddhist state. As per 2011
census the district is spread out on an area of
14.2.sq km. Literacy rate in the district is 64.2
with female literacy being 54.19 percent.
However the area under food and non food
crops is 6, 83,662 as per statistical year book
2013. And the percentage of gross irrigated
and gross cropped area is 43.66 percent. Major
crops produced in the district are;
Table;1 Major crops produced in the
district
Sno Crop Area Out put in
tonnes
1. Cotton 297824 602656
2. Rice 208524 683868
3. Green Gram 36071 27876
4. Red Gram 28636 13831
5. Groundnut 22411 33979
Being declared as one of the poorest
districts of the state amongst the districts in the
