8 FEBRUARY2024INFOCUSINFOCUSIndian Institute of Technology, Mandi, is launching "Drone Didi" to train women of Himachal Pradesh in agricultural drone usage, aiming to save time, reduce pesticide use, and reduce human health risks. Drone Didi's main objective is to empower women and bring about a paradigm shift in agricultural operations.The program prepares women to become skilled "kisan drone operators" and opens doors for them to become leaders and entrepreneurs in this industry by integrating skill development with drone technology. Using agricultural drones can significantly cut down on the amount of time needed for activities like pest management, crop monitoring, and surveying. It also results in economical methods.Drone Didi helps reduce the harmful effects of pesticides on human health by lowering the requirement for pesticide spraying. The position of a kisan drone operator is extremely important in Himachal Pradesh, which is well-known for producing fruit. The program's goal is to provide ambitious women access to career opportunities, including entrepreneurship.An extensive three-month residential training covering all aspects of drone operations will be provided by the program. Participants would receive practical experience in DGCA rules, agri-drone applications, drone applications, maintenance, business skills, and soft skills. IIT Mandi hopes to reach a nationwide audience with the program.The institute hopes to develop a competent workforce in this field since it acknowledges the potential of kisan drone operators in different states. IIT MANDI LAUNCHES 'DRONE DIDI' PROGRAM FOR WOMEN IN AGRIDIAGEO INDIA-LED INITIATIVE EMPOWERS 100 SMALLHOLDER WOMEN FARMERSDiageo India (United Spirits Ltd) has launched a micro-enterprise initiative in Nashik, Maharashtra, empowering 100 smallholder women farmers to tackle crop loss, and food waste, and ensure sustainable livelihoods. The program supports Diageo's commitment to sustainable practices from grain to glass. It aims to solve important issues like crop loss and food waste that smallholder female farmers experience. Ensuring these women have sustainable means of livelihood is the ultimate objective.Diageo India has partnered with Savitribai Phule Ekatma Samaj Mandal (SPMESM) and S4S Technolo-gies to provide training, financial support, and equip-ment to women farmers, and equipment for sun-dry-ing surplus produce, aiming to reduce food waste and contribute to Sustainable Development Goals 12.3. The program trains women in drying vegetables, sup-plying produce to hotels, restaurants, and ingredient manufacturers, ensuring consistent supply to the food industry and stable income for women entrepreneurs.Diageo India's Corporate Relations Director, Jagbir Singh Sidhu, highlights the company's dedication to Pioneering Grain-to-Glass Sustainability as being im-portant to both community empowerment and the So-ciety 2030: Spirit of Progress ESG goals. He mentioned, that the constant dedication to empowering commu-nities while collaborating with businesses and other stakeholders in the agricultural supply chain to devel-op real, long-lasting solutions is demonstrated by the partnership with SPMESM and S4S technology.Diageo India has initiated water replenishment projects in 23 villages of Maharashtra, affecting over 59,000 individuals through check dam construction and desilting ponds.
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