Sri Vijaya Puram, March 10: ICAR- KVK, North and Middle Andaman, celebrated International Women's Day on 8th March 2025 with great enthusiasm, aligning with this year's theme: "For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment." The event aimed to recognize and honour the contributions of women in agriculture, rural development, and self-reliance while emphasizing the importance of gender equality and empowerment.

Dr. V. Damodaran, Senior Scientist & Head, ICAR-KVK N&M Andaman, inaugurated the program, highlighting the significant role of women in shaping the agricultural landscape and ensuring food security. He emphasized the importance of skill development, entrepreneurship, and policy support to uplift women in agriculture and allied sectors.

The event featured interactive sessions and knowledge-sharing discussions led by subject matter specialists from KVK. Shri Rakesh Dawar (SMS Agronomy) discussed sustainable farming practices for women farmers, while Shri Subam Debroy (SMS Aquaculture) spoke on women's role in fisheries and integrated farming systems. Shri Yatharth Sharma (SMS Home Science) conducted a session on value addition, food processing, and nutritional security for women and children. Er. Manoj Kumar (SMS Agricultural Engineering) highlighted the importance of farm mechanization and efficient post-harvest technologies to reduce women's drudgery in agriculture, emphasizing the need for gender-friendly tools and machinery. Successful women entrepreneurs and SHG members shared their inspiring stories of overcoming challenges and achieving economic independence through agri-based enterprises.

The program witnessed active participation from farm women, SHGs and rural entrepreneurs. The program was organized under the overall guidance of Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-CIARI, Sri Vijayapuram. About 32 women and men participated in the event.