The ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (CIWA) in Bhubaneswar has extended its women-friendly, pedal-operated coconut dehusker to 85 women's groups, self-help groups and women farmers' interest groups, in Puri district, Odisha, at programmes held on 21 September and 5 October 2026.
The groups come from 41 villages in 23 gram panchayats across the Pipili, Satyabadi, Brahmagiri, Kanas and Delanga blocks, and the institute expects more than 1,000 women farmers to benefit, with a special focus on Scheduled Caste women. Members of all 85 groups received hands-on training in using the machine.
Removing coconut husks is heavy work that exposes rural women to physical strain, muscle pain and injuries to the hands and palms. The dehusker, developed by CIWA, is designed around women's ergonomic needs: it is worked by foot pedal, to reduce drudgery and make the job safer.
CIWA director Dr Mridula Devi said the institute promotes women-friendly technologies to reduce drudgery and empower women, and that ICAR-developed tools can improve women farmers' working conditions and efficiency while raising their income.
The programmes were organised with the Samarpita Women Farmers Producer Company in Pipili block, the Mahila Vikas Sangathan in Satyabadi block and the sarpanches of the 23 gram panchayats.
Photo: Sundar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: ICAR
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