Godrej Agrovet Empowers Women in Agriculture

Godrej Agrovet has launched Disha, a Women's Career Accelerator Programme, at its third Women in Agriculture Summit. This initiative is designed to foster an inclusive and future-ready talent pool within the agricultural sector. Despite women comprising a significant portion of the agricultural labor force and student population, their representation in formal agribusiness roles remains low, particularly in leadership positions.

The Disha Programme, a CSR initiative, aims to enhance the employability of women graduates in Agriculture and allied disciplines. It functions as a campus-to-corporate finishing school, focusing on sales, communication, and professional readiness. Implemented with partners 1M1B Foundation and Ikka Learning Foundation, Disha has successfully engaged over 276 women students since its pilot phase in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, with many securing industry roles.

This program aligns with Godrej Agrovet's broader objective to nurture 1 lakh women across the agri-sector for improved employment and economic upliftment. The company has also seen an increase in women's representation within its own workforce, from 8% to approximately 15% over two years. Additional initiatives like WINGS, Women in Sales and Manufacturing Circles, RISE, and scholarships further support women's careers from entry-level to leadership.

The summit also highlighted the importance of industry-wide collaboration to build a robust women talent pipeline in agriculture. Panelists emphasized the need for coordinated efforts across education, skilling, hiring, and career progression to unlock women's full potential in the formal agri economy. Scalable, employer-led interventions are crucial for ensuring women build long-term careers in the sector.