Role of Self Help Groups in sustainable agricultural development: a study in Karnataka

Saravana K
Research Scholar
Department of Studies and Research in Social Work
Tumkur University

Dr. Lokesha M.U

Assistant Professor
Department of Studies and Research in Social Work
Tumkur University

Abstract

Development of nation in a holistic mode is not achievable without empowerment of women.

Empowerment means increased spiritual, political, social, gender or economic strength of individuals and
communities. The role of women has been restricted to child rearing and maintenance having slightest
decision making authority. Women as a vulnerable section of society have smallest amount access to the
services established by the governments. Though, there are much legislation stating norms of equal rights
but women folk are given insufficient chances to get benefited due to restrictions compelled by them at
various stages of family, community and society. Under these situations, formalization of self-help groups
(SHGs) can prove a viable alternative to seek empowerment of women and of nation in the long run.
Formation of SHGs is a potent medium that can ensure the all-round development of women particularly
in rural areas. The impact of self-help groups is significant in terms of self-worth like confidence cum
capacity building by proving self-employment opportunities to meet the financial crisis. It also improves
the decision making capacity in terms of various social, political, economic, health and educational affairs
and mobilizes women to fight against various types of exploitations against them in family and society at
large and women can get rid of financial problems as this group gives them access to various agencies and
banks from which they can lend a loan to start their business or their work etc.

Self-help groups (SHGs) involved in various development activities have the possible to
empower their members through the provision of knowledge, skills, motivation, and competencies that
strengthen sustainable agriculture. This study efforts to recognize the effectiveness of self help group in
improving the improving the economic and social status of members in Karnataka, India. The analysis
revealed that, besides contributing toward economic development, these groups are important for social
networking. While social activities are more prominent among groups with members who are wealthier,
larger groups with more wealthy members mainly sought access to advanced technical information.
Group involvement helps to establish appropriate marketing relationships and to minimize input costs.
The results of the analysis indicate that both case study groups have the essential characteristics for
effective group operation and are working successfully.
 Introduction

Self Help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as an important factor of contemporary Indian society.
In the last one and half decade there has been a great deal of interest in the development of women in both
economically, socially and politically Women’s SHGs are becoming ubiquitous across rural India. There
are currently around 3 million registered women’s SHGs in the country. These groups are becoming
integral to the lasting resilience of its rural food systems and communities, and can provide some useful
lessons for the rest of the developing world. Initially set up for facilitating microfinance, SHGs are now
playing an important role as conduits of overall empowerment of rural women in India, giving women the
strength to create change that they could not have been able to achieve individually, in terms of access to
finance, environmental stewardship, and even political empowerment (Pingali, 2014). The NGO sector
has played a prominent role of working as a Self Help Group Promoting Institution (SHPI) by organizing,
nurturing and enabling credit linkage of SHGs with banks. NABARD later coopted many others as SHPIs
including the rural financial institutions (RRBs, DCCBs, PACS), Farmers’ Clubs (FCs), SHG
Federations, Individual Rural Volunteers (IRVs) etc. These stakeholders were encouraged to take up
promotion of SHGs by way of promotional grant assistance from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD). This savings led microfinance model has now become the largest coordinated
financial inclusion programme in the world covering almost 100 million households in the country. With
more than 86% of the groups being exclusively women groups, the programme has provided the much
needed push to empowerment of women in the country (NABARD, 2017). Agricultural development
plays a major role in improving food security and nutrition (FSN) by increasing the quantity and diversity
of food; as a driver of economic transformation; and because agriculture is the main source of income for
a majority of the people who live in the most extreme poverty. Earning sufficient income from agriculture
is key for the 1.3 billion people who work in the sector, and directly determines their food security.
Extensive experience across many countries over many years’ shows that both agricultural development
and economy-wide growth are needed to improve FSN, and that the former can reinforce the latter
(HLPE, 2016).

Self Help Group

Sustainable Agriculture

Self Help Group and Sustainable Agriculture Development

Rationale of the Study

 Since ages women have remained suppressed, one half of our society consists of women folk
and no economic activity becomes productive as long as women remain outside the pail of political,
social and economical empowerment. To pursue the endeavors of empowering women, the scheme of
Umeed under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) was introduced three years ago in Karnataka.
This is a comprehensive scheme initially started by the central government and the state government in.
This scheme aims at poverty alleviation by providing micro finance to the women to start their micro
entrepreneurial activity. As the scheme is being in implementation in Karnataka since 2011, it is very
important to study the working to empower women by providing finance to them and making the
women self-dependent. It is also very important to analyze whether this scheme is providing micro-
finance facility to the poor women who need it and whether it is having any economic impact of the
working of SHG and its member women.

Material and Method

Result and Discussion

Coclusion