Bhubaneswar, Aug 14 [UDN}:Members of the Dharitri Self-Help Group (SHG) from Telerai village under Kalimela Block in Malkangiri district have created a new identity through black rice cultivation and processing. The group, comprising 10 women, has turned agriculture into a source of livelihood and self-reliance.
The women not only cultivate black rice on their own farmland but also collect paddy from other farmers in the village, process it and sell the rice in the market. Black rice is reportedly being sold at around ₹900 per kilogram, and its growing market demand has helped the women build a promising business.
The SHG was formed around three years ago. Since then, its members have been cultivating four varieties of paddy, including different varieties of black rice, opening up new avenues of income. Initially, the group cultivated black rice on about three acres of land and sold nearly one quintal of the produce. Gradually, the women expanded their activities and increased their business.
The administration has supported their efforts by providing a milling machine for processing paddy into rice, while the Agriculture Department supplied seeds. The women have also started collecting black rice from other farmers, allowing them to increase their production and marketing capacity.
Recently, Malkangiri Collector Prathamesh Aravind Rajsirke visited Telerai village and interacted with the SHG members. He appreciated their initiative and encouraged them to further expand their enterprise. The women said that better connectivity, storage facilities and improved transportation would help them take their business to a larger market.
According to the women, they were previously largely confined to household responsibilities. By using their skills and turning agricultural produce into a commercial activity, they have now become economically self-reliant and established an independent identity in their community.
The administration has assured further support, including additional training for the SHG members and arrangements for a dedicated outlet to sell black rice. The Collector also highlighted the nutritional and medicinal value associated with black rice and said that steps would be taken to encourage its cultivation on a larger scale.
The success of the Dharitri SHG demonstrates how value-added agricultural activities can create sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural women. Their journey from small-scale cultivation to processing and marketing has become an inspiring example of women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship and self-reliance in rural Malkangiri.
Leave a Reply