INDIA – Women lead peanut farming and oil processing in Jasdan

Women farmers in Jasdan, Rajkot district, Gujarat, India, are transforming groundnut farming into a thriving, women-led enterprise. With support from the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and financial assistance from the APFP–FO4A program, the Jasdan Peanut Oil Mini Mill was established as a locally owned processing unit. Through a grant of USD 9,084, APFP–FO4A enabled SEWA to procure oil milling machinery and provide hands-on training to women farmers in machine operation, enterprise management, and product marketing. In addition, the women also received training on sustainable farming practices to improve their harvests.

Today, the Jasdan Peanut Oil Mini Mill is fully owned and operated by women, who manage the entire value chain, from procuring groundnuts and processing oil to packaging and sales. The enterprise provides fair and reliable prices to local farmers, generates stable monthly incomes for women operators, and engages more than 200 women across groundnut cultivation, processing, and marketing activities.

Before the mill was established, farmers were forced to sell their groundnuts in distant commercial markets, incurring high transportation costs and often receiving unfair prices. The oil mill has changed this situation by creating a local and accessible market where both members and non-members from nearby villages can sell their produce at fair rates, saving time and costs while keeping value within the community.

By integrating sustainable farming practices, such as the use of natural fertilizers, with local value addition, the APFP–FO4A-supported initiative has strengthened household incomes, improved access to high-quality and safe cooking oil, and contributed to a more resilient, women-driven rural economy.

The Asia-Pacific Farmers’ Program (APFP) – Farmers’ Organizations for Asia (FO4A) is implemented by the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and La Via Campesina (LVC), with funding from the European Union (EU) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The program aims to strengthen farmers’ organizations by enhancing their capacity to deliver economic services, advocate for enabling policies, and promote sustainable livelihoods for small-scale family farmers across Asia.