By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Heifer International proudly showcased its transformative initiatives in Odisha, India, centered around poultry, on the occasion of theme of World Egg Day. Heifer’s flagship initiative in Odisha with Cargill, The Hatching Hope project aims to improve the nutrition and economic livelihoods of 100 million people globally by 2030 through the production, promotion, and consumption of poultry. In India, the program is in its fifth year and has made significant progress in addressing malnutrition and empowering rural women to become entrepreneurs by providing training and resources, teaching smallholder farmers efficient poultry production practices that also minimize environmental impact.
Supported by Cargill, Hatching Hope is operational in states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in India and has made remarkable progress since its launch in 2018. . This visionary initiative is empowering 30,000 smallholder farmers, supporting 10 hatcheries and 30 feed mills, aiding the development of 3,000 model poultry houses, and training a cadre of 200+ Community Agro Veterinary Entrepreneurs in Odisha.
“Programs like Hatching Hope Global Initiative are great examples of how Cargill is investing towards creating self-sustaining models for smallholder farming Women Communities. Our partnership with Heifer in India and other parts of the world has been working to increase resilience of small holder farmers by imparting training, on sustainable poultry rearing practices, providing market access with the aim to improve their living incomes. The participation of rural women farmers in the initiative is another key element of this program and we are happy that with the economic freedom many women farmers are able to make better choices for nutrition for themselves and their families and better education for their children.”says Dipanwita, Regional Director- Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development, Asia Pacific at Cargill.
“At Heifer International, our mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. The Hatching Hope Global Initiative beautifully aligns with our values,” notes Ms. Rina Soni, Heifer India’s Country Director. “We firmly believe that investing in women is not just an investment in their future but in the very future of our Women Communities. Through comprehensive training, we’ve laid the groundwork for Hatching Hope, equipping farmers with the skills needed for poultry production and a brighter future.”
“Heifer’s commitment to empowering Women Communities in Odisha goes far beyond the Hatching Hope initiative. We are working hand in hand with 10 grassroots NGOs and various government departments to lead transformative projects such as the Odisha Socio-Economic Livelihood Development Project (OSED) Goat value chain project and the Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Management (TRANSFORM) program. TRANSFORM project aims to raise awareness at the farm level about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and zoonotic diseases. Our unwavering dedication to achieving scale, long-term impact, and building meaningful partnerships drives us forward in our mission,” stated Mr. Prabaharan Rajarathinam, Senior Project Director at Heifer India.
Heifer International celebrates the inspiring success stories of women farmers and the profound impact of its projects on rural Women Women Communities in Odisha, building a future where hunger and poverty are relics of the past, and sustainable livelihoods flourish.
Suresh Chitturi Chairman, International Egg Commission “I always believed eggs have a huge possibilities to not only transform human health but also be an instrument for rural and smallholder farmer transformation. Super grateful for everything Heifer International activities and work on Hatching Hope project.
