Primary processing of fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare ) in the Sirohi district of Rajasthan is mainly carried out by tribal women, who are a vital but under-supported part of the local agri-value chain. Despite their important role, there is significant potential to increase their income through focused capacity-building and better access to suitable technologies. To address this, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sirohi, implemented a structured series of skill-focused training programs over 8 years (2008–2016), including one-day, three-day, and seven-day sessions during the cropping season. A total of 500 tribal women, organized into small groups of 25–30 participants, received hands-on, practical training. The training emphasized scientifically relevant aspects of fennel primary processing, such as optimized harvesting of umbels at the post-mature stage, standardized grading into A to C categories, and improved drying using modified shade houses built with local materials to preserve the green color and volatile compounds. It also covered hygienic threshing and packaging using polythene-lined bags to maintain qualities like texture, aroma, and market shelf-life. Results show that the training greatly improved processing efficiency and the adoption of better practices, leading to the transformation of nearly 70% (3,888 ha) of fennel-growing areas into primary processing operations up to 2024–25. Economic analysis estimates an additional return of ₹ 42.94 crores at the district level. The trained women reported higher daily earnings (₹ 500–750) compared to unskilled workers (₹ 250–300), highlighting the positive impact of skill development on wage differences. Overall, the intervention significantly increased household income, improved livelihood security, and raised the socio-economic status of rural and tribal women. These findings emphasize the importance of skill development and decentralized primary processing as effective strategies to strengthen rural value chains and promote women’s economic empowerment in marginalized regions.
R. Bhardwaj (Wed,) studied this question.