The multi-business DS Group, a top conglomerate for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), has started a campaign dubbed #SaluteTheFarmHER. The goal of this programme is to highlight the important role that female farmers play in the agricultural industry. The Group hopes to honour their achievements by recognising this endeavour as a step in that direction.
In India, where agriculture is the foundation of the economy, 54.6% of all workers are employed in activities related to the agricultural and associated sectors. Although it is often believed that this is a male-dominated sector, according to Niti Ayog, around 80% of rural women are employed in agriculture. The DS group has acknowledged the need to increase awareness, empower, and appreciate the contributions of rural women workers.
The campaign, which Grapes conceptualised, was introduced on this International Women's Day. In order to draw attention to this gap, the execution started by producing a video. Research shown that the majority of children imagined a male farmer when asked to sketch one. The Group plans to engage prominent media outlets, agricultural bloggers, and stock footage portals to implement a simple alteration that would incorporate photos of both male and female farmers while covering pertinent news in an effort to alter this impression.
Speaking on the programme, a DS Group spokeswoman stated, "Our corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts at DS group are based on the tenet that local community knowledge and skills are crucial for sustainable growth. We consider a comprehensive strategy to add value, from raising awareness to carrying it out and guaranteeing sustainability. Rural women are driving transformation in the social, economic, and environmental realms of the "New India." By giving people more control, the economy may advance significantly."
About the campaign, Shradha Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of Grapes, said: "Now, when all of us often turn to digital for our needs, wants, inquiries, and much more, how something is portrayed in the online realm has become all the more crucial. But there is a glaring paucity of female farmers' representation. And getting the proper acknowledgment is really essential to getting chances for fair advancement. Hence, in the hopes of sparking more significant change, the #SaluteTheFarmHER campaign is a tiny start in that direction.
This new project demonstrates DS Group's ongoing dedication to this industry. The business has aggressively promoted farm-based livelihood initiatives that support female cultivators, business owners, and skilled farm labourers. Almost 24000 women farmers in 12 rural states have already benefited from the group's CSR operations as a result.
The DS Group is adamant about following a set of principles that advance the common good, and its CSR initiatives are an essential component of the group's business goals. The Group addresses economic, environmental, and social concerns and difficulties in an effort to promote the long-term wellbeing of the stakeholder communities.
