ICAR-CRIJAF Trains 870 Women in Jute Entrepreneurship

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Thursday, 12 November 2026

The ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (ICAR-CRIJAF), Barrackpore, is working to improve the quality of jute fibre and expand its applications into high-value products beyond conventional uses. The initiative focuses on developing market-oriented and need-based products that can replace plastics and synthetic materials with sustainable alternatives while generating livelihood opportunities for rural communities, particularly women farmers.

To support this effort, the Institute established a Skill Development Centre to strengthen the skills and entrepreneurial capabilities of rural women, especially members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Over the past five years, ICAR-CRIJAF has organized 55 skill development training programs, benefiting 870 farm women through training in jute fibre processing, value addition and the production of diversified jute-based products.

The training programs combine practical sessions with guidance on entrepreneurship, product development and market access. Women who complete the training receive support in connecting with Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) and SHGs, helping them participate in collective production, establish small businesses and explore marketing opportunities.

Key Highlights:

• ICAR-CRIJAF trained 870 farm women through 55 jute skill development programs
• Women's SHG turnover increased from ₹0.74 lakh to ₹96.25 lakh in five years
• The Institute supports women entrepreneurs through technical training and market linkages

For enhancing the outreach of these, ICAR-CRIJAF has also enabled setting up of skill development centres (off-campus) in North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal. The Institute will continue to provide technical support to these groups in developing products, conducting exposure visits, and participating in exhibitions, fairs and promotional events to enhance the visibility of their products and reach out to broader markets.

The effects of these interventions are becoming more apparent at the grass root level. The sale of diversified jute products has enabled SHGs like Ashirbad, Sankalpa and Ichamoti to earn lakhs of rupees. The skill development program is now slowly transforming into a roadmap for a vision of Lakhpati Didi, where rural women are empowered to become entrepreneurs to facilitate their earning a good income for their family through their own venture.

The achievement of the ICAR-CRIJAF trained farm women SHGs in monetary development by producing value added jute products is a reflection of the success of the integrated approach. The total annual turnover of these SHGs has grown from ₹0.74 lakh to ₹13.30 lakh, ₹44.71 lakh, ₹82.25 lakh and ₹96.25 lakh in the years 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 and 2024–25 respectively, thanks to continuous capacity building, skill development, product diversification and market-oriented training.

The figures show an over 130 fold increase over five years, demonstrating the impact of interventions by the Institute to turn traditional skills into sustainable livelihood generating businesses. The project is a model of how empowerment of women can be combined with development of the jute industry with the whole value chain approach from farm, fibre, fashion, factory to foreign markets.

The Institute is contributing to retaining the economic value with the rural communities through collective organization, skill development, product diversification, scientific production practices and improved jute cultivation. But the change doesn't stop at money. The involvement in production, enterprise management and marketing has improved women's economic autonomy, self-confidence, decision making power and social status.

The previously mostly domestic and agricultural women are becoming proficient producers, entrepreneurs and income generators, and making significant contributions to their families and the local rural economy. ICAR-CRIJAF experience shows that skill development is not enough to create sustainable livelihood enterprises.

Handicrafting, technology support, good inputs, collective organization, entrepreneurship guidance and market linkages are also crucial. This holistic strategy not only connects the dots between education and entrepreneurship but also helps rural women turn their skills into viable businesses.

The Institute's approach is proving to be a replicable model for the role of agricultural research institutions in fostering women-led entrepreneurship and rural economic growth, even as it grows beyond the technology development aspect. ICAR-CRIJAF is not only empowering rural women by transforming their creativity, skill and entrepreneurial ability into sustainable and viable micro enterprises but also enhancing the economic vibrancy and diversified sustainable rural economy based on jute.