Vol. 11, Special Issue 10 (2022)

The present study on Entrepreneurial activities and Empowerment of Rural Women through processing and value addition was conducted in Indi and Sindagitaluks of Vijayapura district, Karnataka. The rural women (sample size) were interviewed to collected information on existing agricultural activities in study areas and their entrepreneurial activities through questionnaire. The collected data was analysed using appropriate statistical tools. The results of the study revealed that, majority of the women entrepreneurs (55%) practice vegetable marketing followed by sheep rearing and 32 per cent of the women entrepreneurs were attended training programme on cultivation and value addition in mushroom. Further, 26 per cent of the women entrepreneurs also participated in processing of fruits and vegetables training programme. Nearly half of the women entrepreneurs (53%) were producing foxtail millet malt based products. This may be due to huge local demand and good market price. It was found from the table that average production of foxtail millet rice based products produced from SHG was 4500 kg. value added products were marketed through four different modes namely direct sale by the women entrepreneurs, sale in exhibition and Melas, sold to individuals on request, sale through agents and other means such as sale in the local markets. After the intervention after training programme their annual income increased through processing and value addition of foxtail millet products. The study it is concluded that, SHG women were able to generate substantial income, which was used towards the family welfare. The training interventions by the research played a strategic role by increasing self-confidence of SHGs in undertaking small scale food processing of value added products of foxtail millet and capacity building of women at the village level.