27 Feb, 2026
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Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Himachal Pradesh are still in a relatively early and developing stage compared to other states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
The state’s rugged hilly terrain, small and fragmented landholdings (average size often less than 1 hectare), and heavy focus on horticulture make aggregation, collective marketing, and processing logistically challenging. Yet these same factors create strong potential for value addition, organic produce branding, and premium market linkages.
In the hills of Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, 50 women from the Nadaun Women’s Farmers’ Producer Organisation are taking their first major step into collective enterprise. They are preparing to process and market value-added products from their organically grown gooseberry(amla) and ginger(adrak).
For rural women who have faced the invisible burden of care work, having independent income can subtly shift power dynamics within households and communities. However, many enter such enterprises without strong money management skills.
Recognising the structural barriers women face in accessing finance and decision-making, the Strengthening Gender Responsive Forest Ecosystems Management and Agroforestry (G-VAN) project organised a two-day workshop in February 2026. Financial literacy was deliberately built in as a foundational step before the FPO scales up its business activities. The training combined three key areas: gender sensitisation, financial literacy, and clarity on roles and responsibilities within the FPO.
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The sessions created space for women to reflect on their everyday realities. During discussions, participants shared how attending the workshop required them to adjust their routines. Many woke up earlier than usual to complete household responsibilities such as cooking and feeding livestock before travelling. These conversations highlighted the gendered division of labour that continues to shape women’s time and mobility.
At the same time, participants noted that women in Himachal Pradesh often enjoy a relatively greater voice in household and community decisions compared to many other parts of India. The gender sensitisation session therefore served as a refresher, helping them recognise the inequalities that still remain despite this progress.
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An interactive “gender walk” exercise deepened these reflections. Participants took on different social roles, including a widow with dependents, a landless woman farmer, and a male panchayat leader. When stepping into male roles, the women playfully adapted by assigning male names and creating turbans from their dupattas. This role play created a safe and engaging space to explore social power dynamics. It also led to a clear realisation: men experience greater ease of movement and fewer constraints in public and economic life.
In the financial literacy sessions, participants learned practical skills: how to access low-interest credit, read loan terms, plan expenditures, and avoid debt traps. These lessons were directly linked to their future earnings from gooseberry and ginger processing. The FPO’s accountant reinforced the message, explaining how independent income brings financial autonomy and confidence.
They emphasised that women and men experience development interventions differently due to existing social dynamics. Recognising these differences allows the project to design activities that are more inclusive and effective. Looking ahead, continued support will focus on strengthening market linkages, deepening financial capabilities, and supporting women’s leadership roles.
In Himachal’s fragile Himalayan ecosystems, where smallholder horticulture supports both biodiversity and livelihoods, empowering women through collectives like FPOs can contribute to more sustainable and climate-resilient value chains.
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The Strengthening Gender Responsive Forest Ecosystems Management and Agroforestry (G-VAN) project promotes gender- and climate-resilient forest and agroforestry management to sustain natural resources and improve livelihoods in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh
Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union, the project is led by India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) as the executing agency. It is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. A separate component supported by the European Union is being implemented in Rajasthan. Read More
For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de
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