Page 5 - CRISP-Newsletter-Feb-2024

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ExpertSpeak

Rural Women Entrepreneurship

in Meghalaya: A Study

Dr. Minnette Ireen Passah to the problem of providing meaningful employment for
a large number of aspirational youth who are prepared
State Lead- Meghalaya to enter the workforce. Unlike the developed countries,
CRISP - Centre for Research in Schemes and Meghalaya in particular lacks the Medium and Small
Policies Micro Enterprises, which are the backbone of economic
growth and job creation. Hence, Entrepreneurship plays
a major factor of economic development as it not only
helps in earning one’s own livelihood, but also provides
Abstract various avenues of employment and hence contributes
to the total GDP of a country (Mozammel.S, 2018).
The study is regarding factors that prevent the
emergence of a favourable entrepreneurship More women are entering the business sector today and
environment for women in Meghalaya, despite being escaping the confines of traditional, gender-specific roles.
a matrilineal society. The study uses descriptive and In the last few decades, North East India has seen significant
exploratory methods. The primary data was collected advancements in the promotion and development of
from the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) who own entrepreneurship, and Meghalaya is no exception. For
entrepreneurial ventures through structured interviews instance, women handle the majority of the handloom
using a schedule with close-ended questions. Further, industry in Meghalaya, and the looms they use are
secondary data has been collected from related books, designed with women in mind. Rural women possess the
journals, websites, published books and articles. The fundamental indigenous knowledge, abilities, resources,
study attempts to fill the gaps in evidence regarding and potential to start and run their own businesses.
the motivating factors encouraging women to
become entrepreneurs, challenges and issues women Rural development and entrepreneurship are now more
entrepreneurs face and their awareness level of various intertwined than before. Institutions and individuals
government schemes that support them. The study promoting rural development now see entrepreneurship
findings will help policymakers make the policies and as a strategic development that could accelerate the
programs relating to women’s entrepreneurship in rural development process. Furthermore, institutions
Meghalaya more effective. and individuals seem to agree on the urgent need to
promote rural enterprises; development agencies see
Introduction rural entrepreneurship as a huge employment potential;
politicians see it as the key strategy to prevent rural
The State of Meghalaya has numerous high potential unrest; farmers see it as an instrument for improving farm
entrepreneurship opportunities. These are presented earnings; and women see it as an employment possibility
by the region’s natural and organic agriculture- near their homes which provides autonomy, independence
horticulture products, healthy climate that enhances and a reduced need for social support. To all these groups,
natural and eco-tourism opportunities, indigenous however, entrepreneurship stands as a vehicle to improve
handloom and handicrafts, that can be tapped and
used to a maximum extent in order to promote
sustainable development. In addition, the social capital
in the village communities lends itself to a number of
high potential entrepreneurship opportunities. The
Meghalaya Government has been concentrating on
creating an environment that will support the state’s
social and economic development. (Meghalaya Prime
Report, 2020). In order for Meghalaya to experience
sustained growth, the state must quickly find a solution

MAASAM | FEB | 5