Godrej Agrovet Unveils Disha Programme to Empower Industry-Ready Women in Agriculture

MUMBAI: Godrej Agrovet Limited (Godrej Agrovet), a leading R&D-driven food and agri-business conglomerate, has officially launched ‘Disha’, a Women’s Career Accelerator Programme. Announced during the third edition of the company’s Women in Agriculture Summit, this initiative serves as a cornerstone of Godrej Agrovet’s mission to build an inclusive and future-ready talent pool for the agricultural sector.

Designed as a CSR-led campus-to-corporate finishing school, the Disha Programme is specifically engineered to bridge the employability gap for women pursuing degrees in B.Sc. Agriculture and allied disciplines. By providing intensive training in industry-critical skills—including sales, professional communication, and corporate readiness—the programme ensures a smooth and confident transition for students into formal professional roles.

Impactful Partnerships and Regional Success:
In collaboration with the 1M1B Foundation and Ikka Learning Foundation, the initiative has already demonstrated tangible results during its initial phases:

Geographic Reach: The programme has successfully engaged over 276 women students across the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.

Placement Milestones: More than 33% of the participants have already secured professional roles within leading organizations in the agri-industry, with many more expected to follow.

Leadership Perspectives on Sustainable Growth:
“India’s agri and allied sectors are at a pivotal point, with ambitions to drive sustainable growth, productivity, and rural prosperity,” said Sunil Kataria, MD & CEO of Godrej Agrovet. “Nurturing industry-ready talent will be central to this potential. Through Disha, we are strengthening the pipeline of skilled women professionals, well-prepared to take on meaningful roles and support a sector on which nearly 50 percent of our country’s population depends.”

Pakzan Dastoor, Head of Sustainability & CSR at Godrej Industries Group, emphasized the group’s core values: “At Godrej Industries Group, inclusion is central to how we build and grow. Disha is a reflection of this commitment—enabling women to transition into the formal agri-industry and access meaningful employment opportunities. This pilot underscores the power of partnerships, and we are proud to see women already placed across various roles.”

Mallika Mutreja, CHRO of Godrej Agrovet, noted the importance of the entire talent lifecycle: “Building a strong and inclusive workforce requires sustained investment. At Godrej Agrovet, we enable women from early-career entry through to leadership progression. Initiatives like Disha, alongside our broader hiring and development programmes, reflect our commitment to creating a meaningful career pathway and a resilient, future-ready workforce.”

A Vision to Empower 1 Lakh Women:
The launch of Disha is a key component of Godrej Agrovet’s larger strategic goal to support and nurture 1 lakh women across the agricultural value chain. To date, the company’s comprehensive efforts—spanning technical skilling, scholarships, early-career mentorship, and leadership initiatives—have already reached over 63.3k women, setting a new benchmark for gender-inclusive growth in the Indian agri-sector.