This story of a woman farmer is a testimony to the change that women can bring to their families and communities when provided access to training and the proper resources. Ram is a leader who defied social norms in her community in Uttar Pradesh and has been implementing sustainable farming methods on her farm for the past ten years thanks to the training she received from GEAG.
Equipped with know-how, she uses intercropping and crop rotation to increase farmland productivity and improve soil fertility. She maximizes production during the dry season, growing more than 32 crop varieties. The monsoon is often devastating in Ram’s village, so she counteracts its effects by growing flood-resistant vines that allow her to farm the land during the rainy season.
Before Ram was successful in agriculture, many women in her village were reluctant to attend the training provided by GEAG. The social ridicule she faced, however, dissipated when she saved enough money to buy her own piece of land. Inspired by her example, village women began to attend classes and to develop sustainable agricultural management practices.
Since then, Ram has taught 200 women in her village, 90 of which are now small-scale organic farmers who use local seed varieties. Recently, Ram bought a well so that women would not have to walk long distances in search of water, thereby increasing their productivity. Ram continues to create solutions to adapt to climate change in her community, empowering other women to become advocates for the environment and self-sufficient farmers.
Source: womensearthalliance
