Shivkanta Women Farmers Producer Company Limited

We are a group of women from the Junnar area, specifically around Dhamale Mala. Shivkanta was started so we could have a bit more control over our own work and our own money. Sitaram Dhamal’s place is where we usually meet up to discuss what we are doing next. It is not always easy being a women’s group in this sector, but we have a lot of support from each other. We grow various things in this part of Pune district, and we spend our days balancing the work in the fields with the work at home. Having this producer company means we can talk directly to buyers and learn more about the business side of things. We are learning as we go, honestly. Some of the accounting stuff is a bit confusing at first, but we are figuring it out together. It’s a noisy, busy environment whenever we all get together. There’s usually kids around and a lot of tea being made. We don't have a corporate office with glass walls; we have a small space where we get things done. It feels good to be doing something for ourselves and for the other women in the village. We just keep working hard and hoping for a good harvest every year. It’s about making sure we have something of our own. Most of us have been farming since we were little, so it’s just a part of who we are.