The theme for 2023 International Women’s Day –DigitAll- Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality is excellent and timely especially for the agriculture sector and in particular sugar industry. The industry is dominated by men as around 13% of the growers are female. At SCGF about 7% are female account holders from the 5284 growers that have loan accounts, said Mr. Raj Sharma Chief Executive Officer. He said that SCGF continues to recognize the women colleagues at work place and empower them in decision making.      

Mr. Sharma said Women need to be recognized either at home, in the office, in the community, at national and international level. They need to be supported to have the balance of power in the society. They play a very important role and it is not only one day in March that we should remember them.  In the farming community our women start the day at early as 4am and end late nights for the daily chores, farm work and so forth.  Going back to the DigitALL –Innovation & Technology for Gender Equality, there is a gap and for that we industry stake holders and policy makers have to drive this.

We are of the view that uptake of digital literacy is weak in the rural, farming community and it is quite important for the populace to have some of the basic understanding, said Ms. Sheetal Shalini, Manager Information Technology. She mentioned SCGF has a robust technological platform and now they are trying to get the instructions in vernacular language in the mySCGF mobile App so that it becomes easier for the people specially for the women to use. She also mentioned that SCGF has plans to roll out digital literacy program for the clients soon.

SCGF will celebrate International Women’s Day in all the District Offices where some of the inspiring women cane farmers are invited for tea. The main function will be held at Head Office Lautoka on Thursday where the chief guest will be Dr. Pramila Devi of University of the South Pacific, Lautoka Campus Director.             

Raj Sharma

Chief Executive Officer