This paper attempts to probe into the fact that with the promotion of suitable microenterprise and appropriate training, women microentrepreneurs can be empowered. It is observed in the course of this study that microenterprises are highly location-specific. Nonetheless, the role of training is important in economically empowering rural women microentrepreneurs, as a result of which they enjoy greater efficiency in promoting and managing the enterprise, and thereby, enhance their income. Thus, selecting the right type of microenterprise and imparting necessary training to the rural women to start such enterprises will enable rural women to become economically and socially independent. Based on the findings, a range of strategic interventions such as cheap credit facilities, information about microenterprises suitable for that specific area, appropriate training for production and management and marketing links have to be provided to the women in the rural setup so as to empower them.

Any attempt to improve the economy, reduce poverty, slow down population growth or arrest environmental degradation requires sincere and sustained efforts to involve women, as economic development can be achieved through their empowerment. To help women attain economic independence is an essential step towards empowering them. The fact is, there is already a huge amount of disguised unemployment existing in the agricultural sector in rural areas and with the introduction of improved farming system, women are being marginalized. Hence, there is a need for alternative employment for women in the rural sector. It is not only the male farmers who need an alternative employment other than farming for solving the problems associated with agriculture, off-farm employment opportunities must also be created for women in rural areas to achieve a visible and quantifiable increase in their income. Given the infrastructural facilities available in the rural sector, and the level of education and skills of women, encouraging them to start their own microenterprise provides an opportunity for their empowerment.

A report of the International Forum for Agricultural Development (IFAD, 1997), discloses the fact that microenterprises in the rural sector have vast and unexplored potentialities in absorbing a large amount of rural women for a wide range of activities like foodstuffs and beverage processing, selling handicraft goods and petty trading. Significant and regular flow of profits would enable women microentrepreneurs to contribute a greater share towards their family income. The command and contribution of women over their family income will determine the power and control over other resources and this would entail them to take part in the decision-making process in the family. Poor rural women should be encouraged to venture into enterprising activities since they represent a more efficient allocation of individual family and national resources, land labor and capital, than what exists at present.