FLO Agriculture, Agro-Based & Food Processing Industry Initiative

Building a National Ecosystem for Women-Led Enterprises across the Agriculture, Agro-Based & Food Processing Value Chain

Overview

The FLO Agriculture, Agro-Based & Food Processing Industry Initiative was launched to create a structured national ecosystem that supports, strengthens and scales women-led enterprises across the agriculture, agro-based and food processing value chain while fostering meaningful engagement with grassroots communities.

The initiative focuses on identifying Food & Agro sector members, organising knowledge sessions, conducting exposure visits, engaging with SHGs, FPOs and rural communities, and facilitating networking and market access opportunities. 

Objective

To build a sustainable national ecosystem that strengthens women-led enterprises through knowledge, collaboration, market access and strategic partnerships while integrating grassroots communities into the food value chain. FLO is creating measurable economic opportunities, scalable enterprises, and long-term livelihood enhancement for women entrepreneurs from the food and agriculture sectors. 

Key Focus Areas

Capacity Building & Knowledge Empowerment

Hosting technical workshops, expert-led webinars, and masterclasses on food processing standards, quality control, packaging, and regulatory compliance (e.g., FSSAI, safety protocols). Upskilling entrepreneurs on modern agricultural technologies, sustainable farming practices, and efficient supply chain management.  

 

Enterprise Identification

Building a comprehensive national database of women-led food, agriculture, and agro-based businesses—ranging from home-based food units to scalable enterprises- turning individual women producers into a unified, visible, and commercially viable national economic ecosystem. 

Grassroots & Community Engagement (SHGs & FPOs)

Integrating Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and Rural Producer Groups into mainstream food and agro-processing value chains. The initiative strengthens rural livelihoods through structured entrepreneurship training, collective bargaining support, and capacity building for grassroots women.

Market Access & Commercial Enablement

Facilitating direct market linkages, corporate off-take connections, and procurement channels to eliminate middleman dependencies. FICCI FLO conducts buyer-seller meets, trade fairs, exposure visits, and listing support on public procurement portals and e-commerce platforms.

Industrial Visits & Experiential Learning

Conducting industrial visits, especially to advanced food processing hubs, agricultural research institutions, and successful agro-enterprises, to provide real-world insights into scale, technology, and operations.

Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Collaboration

Fostering multi-stakeholder alliances with government agencies, research bodies, financial institutions, and industry experts to scale impact, unlock capital, and build a sustainable national framework for women in agriculture.

FLO Newsletters

Key Insights and Achievements of the Year

We’re proud of the collective achievements that FLO has made over the years in empowering women. Our newsletters showcase the key accomplishments, impact, and initiatives we’ve delivered, as well as the growth of our vibrant community.