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Breaking Barriers: A Unique Women’s Day Celebration at East-West Seed, India
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 11: In a pioneering move towards gender equality in agriculture, East-West Seed India celebrated International Women’s Day in a way that truly made a difference—by recognizing and empowering the women who play a crucial role in vegetable seed production. This year, instead of a traditional celebration, female employees of East-West Seed India [...]
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 11: In a pioneering move towards gender equality in agriculture, East-West Seed India celebrated International Women’s Day in a way that truly made a difference—by recognizing and empowering the women who play a crucial role in vegetable seed production. This year, instead of a traditional celebration, female employees of East-West Seed India dedicated the day to female seed production growers, recognizing their invaluable contributions to the industry. Together with 50 women growers, the team redirected their celebration budget to purchase meaningful gifts. They spent the day engaging with them—listening to their challenges, sharing experiences, and standing in solidarity. Their decision to stand in solidarity with women in agriculture highlights the company’s commitment to meaningful change.
Agriculture in India has traditionally been male-dominated, yet women contribute nearly 60% of the labor in seed production. Despite their significant role, financial contracts and payments have historically been made in men’s names.
East-West Seed India launched an empowerment initiative to address this imbalance and ensure that contracts are in female growers’ names. This shift has led to direct payments to women, fostering financial independence and a rise in female participation in seed production from 3% to 27% in 2024, with a target of 50% by 2026.
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