Ranchi, July 17 (Reporter) The World Bank has praised Jharkhand’s flagship rural development programme JOHAR for significantly improving livelihoods through women-led farming enterprises across 17 districts. Over the last four years, 21 women-led Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) formed under the project have achieved a combined turnover of nearly USD 21 million, demonstrating measurable change in productivity, income and social empowerment. Implemented by the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) under the Rural Development Department, the Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth (JOHAR) programme began in 2017 with World Bank support. The project focused on strengthening agri-food systems through women’s collectives, improving technical capacity, access to markets, and irrigation. In Kanke block, Asha Devi leads a producer group that is part of Sarhul Ajeevika Farmer Producer Company Limited, a women-run collective with over 14,000 members. The company has grown from an initial turnover of Rs 2 lakh in 2019 to over Rs 3.5 crore at present. “We have learned to negotiate together and understand the value of our work,” she said. According to officials, the project built agri-value chains around vegetables, fishery, goatery, poultry and non-timber forest produce. The introduction of modern irrigation, soil health planning, digital tools, and community-managed Custom Hiring Centres helped women collectives scale operations. Over 550 nursery units and solar irrigation systems were also established. In the livestock sector, women-led poultry and goat farming models yielded substantial income growth. In Malsiring village of Ranchi district, Dharmi Devi, who started backyard poultry farming with support from JOHAR, now earns up to Rs 72,000 per production cycle. She also serves as co-director of Sarhul FPO and is the elected mukhiya of her panchayat. The expansion of rural hatcheries was another key intervention. Ranchi-based Divyansh Agro Poultry Hatchery, a private unit linked to JOHAR, increased its output tenfold to 100,000 chicks per week. The unit also developed solar-powered hatchery equipment to promote household-level chick rearing. In forest fringe areas like Bero and Raidih, women’s groups shifted to lemongrass cultivation and lac farming as drought-resilient income alternatives. Over 250 tribal women cultivated lemongrass on 70 acres with support for distillation and processing, while trained lac cultivators revived traditional resin harvesting practices. As of June 2024, JOHAR had reached over 2.24 lakh producers, organised into nearly 4,000 producer groups, and trained over 17,000 community cadres. The World Bank, in a recent social media post, highlighted the project’s role in transforming rural women into agri-entrepreneurs through collective action and targeted support. Rural Development Secretary K. Srinivasan said that the success of the model lies in its end-to-end value chain approach. “This project has enabled thousands of landless and tribal women to become leaders in production, processing, and trade,” he said. Reacting to the recognition, Chief Minister Hemant Soren posted, “My mothers and sisters are moving forward with strength and confidence. Your son and brother is always with you.” JOHAR, which closed last year, is now being studied as a model for replication in other states. Its focus on women’s collectives, diversified livelihoods, and climate resilience has drawn attention from national and international agencies...////...