Bhubaneswar, February 13 Odisha is the only state that has developed a standard operating procedure (SOP) for manufacturing farm machinery that is suitable for women, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said here on Friday.
He was speaking at the workshop on Institutionalizing the Gender Responsive Cell: Framework and Roadmap.
The Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment of Odisha, in collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and with support from the Gates Foundation, organized the workshop here.
It is worth noting that the Odisha government had inaugurated the Gender Responsive Cell in November at Krushi Bhavan, underscoring the state's commitment to advancing women-led development and inclusive agricultural systems.
Addressing the gathering, Singh Deo said, "When we launched the cell last year, it signaled Odisha's commitment to inclusive and evidence-based agricultural reform. We are proud to share that Odisha is the only state which has developed an SOP to manufacture women-friendly farm machinery."
The workshop marks the next step in operationalizing this commitment and ensuring that research insights translate into tangible improvements in schemes and services, he said.
Secretary of the Women and Child Development department, Mrinalini Darswal, emphasized the need for interdepartmental convergence.
"Women's empowerment cannot be addressed in isolation. The gender responsive cell creates space for convergence across agriculture, women and child development, and data systems, which is essential for translating women-led development into measurable outcomes," she said.
Secretary of the Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment department, Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, described the Gender Responsive Cell as a governance reform.
He said, "The GRC represents a shift towards accountable and evidence-driven agricultural governance."
Highlighting the role of research and academia, Vice Chancellor of Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology, Pravat Kumar Roul, said that gender-responsive agricultural transformation must be grounded in rigorous evidence and continuous learning.
Institutions like the GRC can serve as vital bridges between research, policy, and practice, he said.