06.04.25

Empowering 30 Women-Led Enterprises Across 6 Districts of Odisha
Sulabhaa Green Business Enterprise Leadership Cohort

The Department of Mission Shakti, Government of Odisha, in collaboration with the Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE)—at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP), Indian School of Business (ISB)—has launched the transformative Sulabhaa Green Business Enterprise Leadership Cohort. This initiative aims to establish 30 women-led, forest-based enterprises across six districts—Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Koraput, and Malkangiri. As part of this effort, a network of 300 women leaders has been formed. Each Green Shakti Producer Company (GSPC) will integrate at least 1,000 primary producers, directly enhancing the incomes of 30,000 women across the state.

A Unique Fellowship Grounded in Leadership and Enterprise

The Sulabhaa initiative is a first-of-its-kind, large-scale programme that offers a semi-structured six-month induction focused on self-transformation, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills. Designed as a fellowship, the programme combines real-world experience in starting up and managing a Producer Company (PC) with a comprehensive training curriculum that covers financial literacy, leadership, business management, and the sustainable use of natural resources.

The initiative is anchored on four key pillars:

• promoting structured and formal women-led community business enterprises;

• enhancing entrepreneurial capabilities;

• facilitating market integration; and

• advancing scalable and sustainable business models.

The 30 GSPCs completed their initial orientation workshop at the Mission Shakti office in Bhubaneswar. They are currently undergoing a second round of district-level training to prepare for a successful shareholder enrolment drive and launch the initial sales phase of seasonal forest products (SFPs). The Boards of Directors of the GSPCs have engaged with key stakeholders from the Government of Odisha, trainers from the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), and representatives from AAK India and Terviva—one of the largest buyers of sal and karanj seeds in India.

Laying the Groundwork for Collective Success

Women at the Helm of Forest-Based Enterprise

By fostering a mindset shift alongside financial and technical capacity-building, the programme ensures that women leaders are not merely participants but integral managers in the development of sustainable enterprises and the governance of forest ecosystems. Accordingly, the programme aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to gender equality (SDG 5), decent work (SDG 8), and climate action (SDG 13). As part of this initiative, each PC will receive initial working capital from the Government of Odisha to commence operations.