A high-level delegation from the Government of Ethiopia is undertaking a week-long learning and exposure visit to India to study the operational model and implementation strategies of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), India's flagship program for poverty alleviation and women’s economic empowerment.

The visit, organized by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), is centered on facilitating peer learning on how the NRLM has successfully mobilized over 105 million women into more than 9 million Self-Help Groups (SHGs), establishing a massive, resilient community-driven financial inclusion network.

Mission Scale and Financial Impact

Since its launch in 2011, the NRLM has been instrumental in creating one of the world’s largest community-driven development programs. A key area of interest for the Ethiopian delegation is the scale of financial inclusion achieved:

Women SHGs have accessed ₹11 Lakh Crore (Rupees Eleven Lakh Crore) in formal financial institution loans since 2013-14. This demonstrates the program’s success in building robust, scaled access to finance and sustainable livelihood ecosystems.

Delegation and Learning Objectives

The Ethiopian delegation is led by Ms. Sintayehu Demissie Admasu, Head of the Food and Security Coordination Office (FSCO), Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia. The delegation also includes senior officials from the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Commissions, and Regional Food Security Offices, along with representatives from the World Bank's Social Protection and Livelihoods Team.

The exposure visit, spanning five days across New Delhi, Alwar, and Jaipur, will provide firsthand insights into NRLM’s evolution, policy architecture, institutional structure, and field-level implementation. The delegation will focus on the following key areas:

Policy and Governance

Understanding the policy vision and institutional framework driving the NRLM's success.

Field Implementation

 Practical observation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Village Organizations (VOs), Cluster Level Federations (CLFs), and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in Rajasthan.

Livelihood Models

 Detailed study of how rural women collectively manage funds, engage in livelihood enterprises, and utilize digital tools for empowerment.

Speaking on the visit, Shri T. K. Anil Kumar (IAS), Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, emphasized the spirit of global partnership:

“This exchange reflects the power of South-South learning and the opportunity that India’s experiences offer to the rest of the world in leveraging community-owned and community-driven platforms for large-scale progress and inclusive development. India stands ready to share its proven, scalable models that enable other nations to adapt lessons from the NRLM platform for empowering rural women and reducing poverty.”

The Ethiopian delegation highlighted the transformative potential of the learning:

“India’s NRLM offers valuable lessons in how collective action, financial inclusion, and local governance can transform rural economies,” said Ms. Sintayehu Demissie Admasu. “Through this partnership, we aim to translate India’s success into practical strategies that strengthen Ethiopia’s rural livelihoods systems.”

The visit reinforces India's commitment to sharing its successful development experiences with global partners.

 

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