Most Indian thalis are incomplete without papad. It is a crispy side dish that comes in diverse shapes, sizes, and flavours, region-wise. While many women in the rural areas of India make papads at home, some families prefer to get them from the market. However, today the market is also divided into two sections. One sells a large number of machine-made papads while the other section specializes in handmade ones.
Today, the demand for handmade food items such as papad and achaar is continuously increasing. People are getting aware of the various benefits of choosing handmade papad over the regular machine-made ones. Also, choosing options like Vermi-Compost or handmade papad surely offers help and support to the rural women entrepreneurs who are the major force behind the massive production of these food items.
Benefits of Choosing Handmade Papad
Handmade food items have health as well as culinary benefits to showcase. Here are some of the common reasons that demand for handmade items like papad has increased recently.
- Packed with Nutrients: Rural women make handmade papad with natural ingredients like rice or different types of lentils. These ingredients are rich sources of essential nutrients like protein, vitamins, iron, and fiber. These natural ingredients with such nutrients boost digestion and energy level, contributing to your overall health.
- A Healthy Option: Machine-made papad available in the market are loaded with preservatives that are bad for health. Also, in many cases, the papad is fried, making it high in fat and calorie content. On the other hand, handmade papad is free from preservatives and is sun-dried to make it a healthier choice.
- Diverse Options: You will come across diverse options under handmade papad. You can use the bland options for preparing papad ki sabji or for salads and chaats. On the other hand, you can consider the spiced or flavoured ones as a snack or side dish during meals.
- Keeping the Legacy Alive: When you choose handmade papad over machine-made ones, you offer support to the rural women involved in the process. This not only offers economic help to these women but also motivates them to continue the legacy of preparing handmade papad. When it continues, even upcoming generations can enjoy the true flavours and crispness of authentic papad.
So, while handmade papad is a healthy option, choosing it also extends your support to keep the authenticity alive for upcoming years. Of course, choosing handmade papad offers support to the rural women entrepreneurs in a special way. Let us find out more about it.
How Does Choosing Handmade Papads Help Rural Women Entrepreneurs?
Whenever you choose handmade papad over the machine-made options, you extend your support towards the rural women entrepreneurs in different ways. We have jotted down some points here on how your selection can support the rural women's business.
- Financial Independence: Rural women's businesses open job opportunities for various women in the rural areas of the country. Thus, when both men and women in a family earn, it develops financial independence. It helps in boosting the standard of living in terms of food, clothing, and even children’s education. The amount of job opportunities for rural women grows only when more customers invest in options like handmade papad.
- Women Empowerment: Families in rural India often keep women under pressure to keep them entangled only in domestic responsibilities. When rural women entrepreneurs welcome these women to be a part of their business, it creates a sense of motivation and empowerment. The job opportunities not only create a source of income for these women but also help them gain confidence. This helps in reducing the gender gap that otherwise exists in society.
- Boosting Traditional Skills: Not every woman is trained in high-profile skills. Some are gifted with traditional skills that modern women may not have. For example, the rural women are mostly highly skilled in cooking, stitching, and performing other related tasks. So, initiatives like Neev tote bag or handmade papads encourage these women to showcase their skill and then utilize their hard work to generate products liked by several customers across the nation.
- Fair Competition: Often with limited resources, rural women are not able to compete with the city-life operations. When the demand for options like homemade papad or Chicken Biryani Masala increases, it allows the rural women's small business houses to compete fairly with the business houses in the cities.
- Community Development: This is an obvious fact that rural India lacks the facilities that urban areas enjoy. By choosing handmade papad and similar items, you can make your contribution towards developing the rural community to an extent.
Where Can You Buy Homemade Papad?
Now, when you are convinced of the various reasons why choosing handmade papad can be a great decision, you might be anxious to pick the right place to buy it. Isn’t it? One of the best ways to get authentic homemade papad in great taste is from the rural women's small business houses. Options like Neev handmade papad will offer you the taste of authentic homemade papad and at the same time contribute towards the support of the rural women.
With the help of Skill Development & Vocational Training for tribal community, the team empowers and encourages the women's section of the rural society. This helps in boosting our country’s traditional skills like preparation of different homemade snacks and also developing the lifestyle of rural society.