Women in Shuklaphanta turning pickle-making skills into entrepreneurship drive
Kanchanpur: Parvati Devi Dagaura of Shuklaphanta Municipality-3 used to prepare pickles made from mangoes, radishes, carrots and other produce from her garden and orchard only for household consumption. The small quantities prepared for family use would often spoil within a few days due to lack of knowledge about hygiene and preservation methods.
Now the situation has changed. Not only Parvati Devi, but other women like her have also begun producing pickles in a professional manner. With skills gained through training and the use of modern methods, they are now engaged in turning fruits and vegetables from their home gardens into a source of income.
The Municipality’s Enterprise Development Branch provided commercial pickle production training to 10 local women with the aim of making them self-reliant. The training, conducted by skilled trainers, has guided the participants from traditional pickle-making methods to commercial production techniques.
“Previously, hygiene was not given much importance while making pickles,” said Bandan Kumari Bohara. “Now, we make it mandatory to wash our hands thoroughly, wear gloves, use masks, and cover our hair. This has increased both the quality and durability of the pickles.”
After the training, the women have learned to prepare various types of pickles from locally available fruits and vegetables, including carrots, radishes, garlic, cauliflower, bitter gourd, mango, amla, bay leaves and mushrooms. Since the raw materials are home-produced, production costs remain low while promoting the use of local agricultural products.
The pickle production process has also become systematic and professional. According to the women involved in entrepreneurship, the fruits and vegetables are first washed thoroughly with clean water, then cut into clean utensils and boiled as required. After drying, salt and spices are mixed with heated oil to prepare the pickles, which are then packed in clean plastic or glass jars. Swastima Chaudhary said the product is made ready for the market only after labels with the name, date and necessary details are attached.
“The training has not only taught us how to make pickles, it has also taught us how to produce quality products,” said Chaudhary. “We have started production by forming a group of 10 people. Now the trainer has assured us of support for market management. Later, we plan to expand the market ourselves.”
According to her, the ward office has provided a room for production to address the lack of a dedicated workspace. Ward Secretary Shyam Dagoura said vacant rooms in the ward have been made available to encourage women’s entrepreneurship.
“We have provided rooms so that women who want to start a business do not face space problems in the initial stage,” he said. “As the business expands, they will find other spaces and operate under their own management.”
Along with training, the municipality’s Enterprise Development Branch has also provided necessary equipment as grants. Items such as knives, utensils and mixing machines have been distributed to the women.
According to Shanta Saud, an employee of the Enterprise Development Branch, the goal is to provide both skills training and materials to encourage self-employment.
“Our main goal is to make women entrepreneurs,” she said. “We have also provided necessary materials as grants to make it easier to start production after training. This program has been launched with the aim of making women self-reliant through their own businesses.”
Producing pickles using locally available fruits and vegetables not only helps reduce waste but also creates additional income opportunities.
“This has connected agriculture and enterprise, as mangoes, amla, bayar, radish and other seasonal vegetables that would otherwise go to waste can now be processed into marketable products,” she said.
Since most raw materials are locally produced, costs remain low and profit potential is high, said Urmila Chaudhary. She added that such enterprises are helping increase both income and self-confidence among women who were previously limited to household work.
Dhan Bahadur Chaudhary, head of the Enterprise Branch, said the training has helped increase women’s economic participation in rural areas by linking household skills with business and creating self-employment opportunities. According to him, women engaged in commercial production in Shuklaphanta are now moving beyond being housewives making pickles and are preparing to become entrepreneurs capable of competing in the market with their own brands.
This initiative, based on homegrown fruits and vegetables, has not only strengthened women economically but also promoted a new practice of self-reliance in rural communities by adding value to local products.