Years of Vaagdhara's efforts are bringing about changes
“Women Farmers are bringing prosperity to the family by becoming self-dependent”
Efforts by the NGO Vaagdhara to make farmers self-reliant are paying off. By becoming self-reliant, women are also becoming the economic base of the family. In the Ghatol and Pipalkhoont areas of the Banswara & Pratapgarh districts, along with making women self-reliant, the organization took the initiative to promote organic farming and started working with women farmers in 15 villages. Today, capable groups of 20 women in each village are becoming self-sufficient through the “true farming” approach which is linked to traditional farming. Although the market has captured agriculture in the world, now women are once again becoming the basis of the family through traditional farming. Along with strengthening food security and improving nutrition, various pieces of training are being given by the organization to connect the youth with agriculture. At the same time, efforts are being made to reintroduce traditional indigenous methods. In Ghatol Block's Fhutiya Dungri Village (Panchayat Miyasa), women of the Saksham Samooh promoted farming by adopting traditional methods at their homes due to which on one hand, their income is increasing, while on the other hand, their dependence on the market is decreasing. Women are also preparing organic fertilizers and pesticides at home from local seeds and the waste coming out of the compost pit. The effect of the traditional Dasparni pesticide is visible, due to which there is no more need for urea in the fields, and moisture remains.
As per Majid Khan, Project Manager at Vaagdhara, one member of the Saksham Samooh in Fhutiya Dungri, Vaji Devi W/O Dhanji Ninama, said that the cost of diesel used in diesel pumps was too high, not allowing them to grow many vegetables. Thus, a water motor pump set was availed by the organization to extract water from the well, due to which an income of about 68 thousand rupees was earned from the vegetables grown in two bighas of land at a low cost.
Vaji said that she also prepared a nursery of plants in the rain, in which plants of lemon, guava, bamboo, jackfruit, vermilion, sandalwood, custard apple, etc. were planted. By selling these plants, she got an income of about 4 500 Rupees. Furthermore, plants of onion, cabbage, tomato, chili, brinjal, etc. have been prepared, due to which an income of 7 800 Rupees has been generated. According to Vaji, available government subsidies on electricity have slashed her expenditures for one-time irrigation from 300-400 Rupees down to almost zero.
Organic farming products, made with the use of organic pesticides and fertilizers, are given good prices in the market. Vaji says that the use of vermicompost and organic pesticides has become her boon. Cluster Facilitator Dhanraj Kumawat said that under the KKS-supported SIFS project being run by the organization, the women of the competent group have earned success with their dedication, which has become a means of livelihood while organic farming is also promoted.
