When women farmers have the right tools and market access, they can transform the rural economy. That is why we have partnered with Swayamshree, a multi-state social enterprise initiative (Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Gujarat) launched in 2023 through a partnership between two foundations. We share a deep commitment to strengthening rural livelihoods and creating lasting economic agency. By combining our business expertise with their on-the-ground initiatives across Madhya Pradesh, we are working to build market-facing women’s collectives, specifically Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
Vision and impact: achieving ₹1 Lakh annual income
The program aims to drive social change by empowering women and enhancing their economic agency. The partnership between Women on Wings and Swayamshree is focused on a clear goal: reaching one million women across these states and enabling their households to achieve a minimum annual income of ₹1 lakh. By focusing on collective strength, Swayamshree creates a sustainable path for women to become owners and decision-makers in their own agricultural enterprises.
Swayamshree and Women on Wings kickoff workshop
The ecosystem model: from farm to market
The enterprise focuses on primary commodities including maize, wheat, mustard, groundnut, soybean, pulses, millets, and honey. Swayamshree uses an ecosystem-oriented business model that integrates collectivization pathways, such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and FPOs, with value-chain development.
The farm-to-market approach involves decentralized village-level collection centers, local processing units, and structured market access via both institutional B2B and emerging B2C retail. The program leverages partnerships with State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) and NGO implementation partners like PRADAN and SRIJAN.
Field visit with an FPO
Transitioning women to enterprise owners
Operations are specifically designed to transition women from solely farm laborers to owners and managers of collective agricultural enterprises. It establishes women-led institutions where all shareholders and the majority of the Board of Directors are women. Beyond cultivation, women hold professionalized roles across processing, marketing, sales, and supply chain management, capturing a larger share of the agricultural value chain.
Number crunching and diagnostics at the Swayamshree strategy workshop
Co-creating sustainable livelihoods: our strategy workshop
Women on Wings recently concluded an intensive 1.5-day strategy workshop with Swayamshree, marking a pivotal step in our partnership to co-create sustainable livelihoods. The sessions focused on shifting from simple produce aggregation to building market-ready, commercially viable enterprises.
Participants from Women on Wings, implementation partners PRADAN and SRIJAN, and FPOs such as Chirayu and Ken Betwa collaborated to identify key challenges and define high-priority, actionable steps. This included strategic deep dives into sales and supply chain integration, as well as the development of quarterly roadmaps to professionalize FPO operations.
We look forward to the next steps with this initiative and what it can do for women in rural India!
Swayamshree strategy workshop participants
