Kerala: Kudumbashree is set to launch its products on the ONDC network at the “Symposium on Digital Marketing and Launch of Kudumbashree Products on ONDC” event, which will be held on March 2, 2023, in Trivandrum, Kerala.
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is an initiative to promote open networks for all aspects of exchanging goods and services over digital or electronic networks. ONDC is to be based on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform.
A government of Kerala programme, Kudumbashree, is a three-tier community of women working towards poverty eradication and women empowerment. Its association with ONDC will strengthen the joint advocacy and support efforts to strengthen the mission.
As part of this event, Kudumbashree and SellerApp (A network participant associated with ONDC) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to bring Kudumbashree’s associated sellers onboard the ONDC network, making their products available for purchase online across India. This collaboration aims to empower women entrepreneurs associated with Kudumbashree by providing them with the latest technology and tools for successful online business, thus contributing to the organization’s goal of eradicating poverty and empowering women in Kerala.
Currently, 138 products from Kudumbashree are available on the open network, including women-made products by SHGs and NHGs in categories such as groceries, fashion, beauty, and personal care. After the MOU is signed, many more products are expected to be available online through the open network at an accelerated pace.
The event will have over 150 women from Kudumbashree attending, including a training workshop on social media marketing and a packaging training workshop organized by Shiprocket. The benefits of joining the ONDC network will be highlighted, including increased discoverability across multiple buyer applications, the power for sellers to set their own terms, and access to customer information.
T Koshy, MD & CEO, ONDC, said, “Our mission at ONDC is to make e-commerce accessible and inclusive for sellers of every size and scale across India. The initiative taken by SellerApp to onboard sellers from Kudumbashree on the open network will showcase the potential of ONDC to bridge the digital divide and empower small businesses across the country.”
Dilip Vamanan, Founder, SellerApp, said, “We are excited to partner with Kudumbashree to bring the benefits of e-commerce enabled by ONDC to the sellers associated with Kudumbashree. Our mission at SellerApp has always been to enable and scale e-commerce businesses with actionable data.”
Mr. Jafar Malik, IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree, said, “I am very happy to see that Kudumbashree is launching its products on ONDC in the silver Jubilee year of Kudumbashree. This will be a milestone in Kudumbashree history also to be part of this digital revolution. In the coming years, we want to see kudumbashree products accessible to everyone from everywhere. We are also happy to work closely with Sellerapp to make this successful in months to come.”
About Kudumbashree
Kudumbashree is a poverty eradication and women empowerment program implemented by the Government of Kerala, a state in India. The program was launched in 1998 and has since become one of the largest women’s movements in the country.
Kudumbashree aims to empower women by providing them with skills training, access to credit and microfinance, and opportunities to engage in income-generating activities. The program also focuses on community development and encourages women to take an active role in decision-making at the local level.
Today, Kudumbashree is recognized as one of India’s most successful poverty alleviation programs and has been emulated in other states and countries.
