From Collective Savings to Agri-Enterprise: Self-Help Groups Reshaping Women’s Economic Futures in Rural India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21568036Keywords:
Agriculture, Economic Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Rural Women, Self-Help GroupsAbstract
Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as important grassroots institutions for strengthening the economic and social position of rural women in India. Initially focused on collective savings, internal lending and access to formal credit, SHGs have gradually expanded into platforms for entrepreneurship, agricultural production, value addition and market participation. Programmes such as the Self-Help Group–Bank Linkage Programme (SHG-BLP), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Micro Enterprise Development Programmes and state-level livelihood initiatives have supported this transformation. Women’s SHGs are increasingly engaged in dairy, poultry, goat rearing, mushroom cultivation, nursery production, input supply, collective marketing and value-added agricultural products. Collective action enables women to pool resources, access institutional finance, acquire skills, reduce transaction costs and improve bargaining power. However, inadequate capital, weak markets, limited technology, digital illiteracy, poor branding and weak enterprise management remain challenges. Strengthening business incubation, digital market access, producer collectives and value-chain integration can make SHGs stronger drivers of inclusive rural development.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Subhashree Sahu, Trisha Chakraborty, Pabitra Maity, Kommu Sunil Kumar, Annepu Divesh Babu
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