Second Day of Rajeevika’s National Conference Focuses on Collaboration, Innovation, and Women’s Empowerment

Jaipur, Nov 2025 : The second day of the three-day National Conference on Agriculture and Livestock Entrepreneurship, organized under the joint aegis of the Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (Rajeevika), Department of Rural Development, Government of Rajasthan, and the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, witnessed meaningful discussions centered on collaboration, innovation, and women’s empowerment.

Encouragement from the Centre
Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, joined the event virtually and lauded the participants. He said Rajasthan, with its strong foundation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and entrepreneurial spirit, has the potential to become a “lighthouse state” for the NRLM 2.0 initiative.

He emphasized empowering women as Agri-LivPreneurs (Agriculture and Livestock Entrepreneurs) through the She-LiFE (She–Livelihoods in Food and Enterprises) program, promoting inclusive and sustainable rural entrepreneurship. The conference also underscored the importance of integrating climate-smart, low-carbon value chains and building inclusive financial systems beyond credit.

Diverse Participation and Sessions
Experts, policymakers, entrepreneurs, banking representatives, and women members from SHGs across India attended the conference. The sessions throughout the day focused on strengthening rural livelihoods, promoting women-led leadership, and expanding agriculture and livestock-based enterprises.

Key Sessions Included:

• “Action for Collaboration: Strengthening the Livelihood Ecosystem” –
  Experts highlighted the power of collective models in strengthening the rural economy and discussed strategies for providing institutional support to women-led, group-based enterprises.
• “Beyond Credit – Innovative Financial Architecture” –
  This session explored new ways to enhance financial access for rural entrepreneurs, including alternative funding models and the role of digital finance platforms. Banks and microfinance institutions suggested measures to provide affordable credit to rural women entrepreneurs.
• “She-LiFE: Women-Led Agriculture and Livestock Entrepreneurship” –
  Successful women entrepreneurs shared their journeys, illustrating how training, collaboration, and innovation have made them self-reliant and vital contributors to the rural economy. Experts emphasized the need for collective participation, skill development, market access, and technological support to empower women entrepreneurs.

Objective of the Conference
According to Rajeevika, the purpose of this three-day conference is to motivate women SHGs under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) towards entrepreneurship, foster innovation, and create a collaborative national framework for rural economic growth.

Exhibition Highlights
A special exhibition showcased agriculture and livestock products crafted by women entrepreneurs, receiving appreciation from all participants.

Strengthening the Ecosystem
Shri Raman Wadhwa, Deputy Director, National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), emphasized the need to build a strong ecosystem through capacity development, technology, market linkages, and partnerships to make India’s rural economy more resilient and prosperous.

Conference Conclusion
The conference will conclude tomorrow, with policy recommendations and a roadmap discussion on empowering rural women entrepreneurs and enhancing their participation in sustainable rural enterprise development.