Rural Women Entrepreneurs Get Spotlight at Agri-Livestock Conference

At a national-level agriculture and livestock entrepreneurship conference held in Udaipur, Rajasthan, rural women entrepreneurs celebrated as “Agri-LivPreneurs”, stood at the centre of attention under the ambitious She-LiFE initiative. The event, jointly organised by the Rajasthan Rural Development Department, Rajeevika, and the Union Ministry of Rural Development, brought together policymakers, financial experts, grassroots leaders, and innovators to highlight the growing economic power of women in India’s rural sectors. The gathering underscored a shared vision: to equip women with the financial tools, technical knowledge, and structural support needed to build sustainable, future-ready enterprises in agriculture and livestock.

A major highlight of the conference was the thought-provoking session titled “Beyond Credit – Innovative Financial Architecture.” Here, experts explored new and adaptive funding models that go beyond traditional bank loans, such as blended financing, community-led savings systems, low-risk investment platforms, and pay-as-you-grow mechanisms that match the realities of rural women’s enterprises. Speakers also emphasised the transformative potential of digital tools, including mobile-based financial dashboards, AI-supported business planning, and digital payment solutions that increase transparency and reduce dependency on middlemen.

Another central theme was climate resilience. With rural women often at the frontline of climate impacts, floods, droughts, erratic crop cycles, the session spotlighted the need to build climate-smart value chains tailored to women-led businesses. Experts stressed innovations such as drought-resistant seeds, sustainable livestock practices, micro-insurance products, and green entrepreneurship models that support both livelihoods and environmental stewardship.

The conference concluded with a set of policy recommendations aimed at scaling up the She-LiFE initiative in underserved regions. Suggestions included expanding market access for women-led cooperatives, strengthening digital literacy, simplifying loan processes, offering targeted subsidies for agri-livestock enterprises, and establishing mentorship networks that connect rural women to successful entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

Overall, the Udaipur conference reaffirmed a powerful message: with the right support systems, rural women can drive transformative growth in agriculture, innovate resilient business models, and redefine the future of India’s rural economy.