Why Entrepreneurship Development Matters

Entrepreneurship offers more than income—it unlocks self-reliance, dignity, and leadership. In rural areas, women and marginalised groups often face barriers to starting and sustaining enterprises due to limited access to resources, finance, markets, and training.
At Utthan, we believe that community-rooted, women-led entrepreneurship can drive inclusive economic growth, reduce vulnerability, and support climate-resilient local development.

 

Our Approach

We promote entrepreneurship that is embedded in local knowledge, aligned with sustainability, and supported by community institutions. Our approach brings together capacity-building in enterprise planning, costing, digital literacy, and compliance; financial inclusion through cooperatives and credit access; market and ecosystem support for collective and individual enterprises; mentoring via federations, livelihood centres, and technical partners; and integration with natural farming, livestock-based enterprises, and agri-tech models. The focus is not only on creating businesses—but on shifting power and opportunity into the hands of rural women and youth.

 

 

What We Do

Utthan promotes women-led rural enterprises by supporting goat-rearing in tribal areas, where women receive training in animal care and business skills. It fosters natural farming entrepreneurship through bio-input production and enables women’s collectives to run agri-tech rental services that ease farm labour. Financial access is ensured through women’s cooperatives offering affordable credit. Additionally, entrepreneurs benefit from mentorship, exposure visits, and peer networks that strengthen their capacities and market linkages.

 

Impact Pathways (2023–24)

• 600 women engaged in goat-based enterprise across Dahod.
• ₹8.49 crore wages generated under MGNREGA with facilitation support.
• 1,207 women accessed financial services through Samarthan Women’s Credit Cooperative Society.
• ₹20.8 lakh in loans disbursed to 110 women with 100% recovery rate.
• Women-led agri-equipment rental services initiated to support climate-resilient farming.
• Rs 1.08 lakh collective revenue from goat sales by 18 rearers; additional Rs 2.84 lakh from Sirohi goats offspring sales.
• 5432 kg Dana Mishran and 1945 soap units sold; 1325 goats treated via ethno-veterinary services.