๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ซ: ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ฆ๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐
Greeshma from Nedumbala village in Wayanad district, Kerala, began her farming journey after attending a community mobilization workshop and Women-Led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) training organized by #SwayamShikshanPrayog (SSP) under the #LICHFLHriday-supported project in 2025.
Greeshma lives with her husband and two school-going children. Her husband works as a farm labourer, and the family depended largely on daily wages and agriculture for their livelihood. Meeting household and educational expenses was often a challenge. Before starting her own farm, Greeshma worked as an agricultural labourer in banana and vegetable fields and also relied on Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) work for additional income.
Although she had farming experience and knowledge of traditional cultivation practices, she had never grown vegetables independently on her own land. Motivated by the training and concerned about rising vegetable prices and pesticide residues in food, she decided to start pesticide-free farming.
Today, Greeshma cultivates more than 10 varieties of vegetables along with tapioca on 30 cents of land. The journey was not easy. Crab infestation damaged newly transplanted seedlings, and pest attacks affected her crops. Through SSP trainings and support from Krishi Bhavan, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Ambalavayal, and local farming communities, she learned practical solutions such as raising seedlings in cups before transplanting, using border crops, preparing bio-inputs, and adopting eco-friendly pest management practices.
Her efforts have paid off. Greeshma now regularly harvests and sells cowpea, tomato, brinjal, chilli, corn, and cucurbit vegetables in local markets. Income from cowpea alone brings her around โน3,500 per week.
Over time, Greeshma has developed a successful pesticide-free model farm and emerged as a local leader, inspiring other women to adopt sustainable farming practices.
โI started my journey with a small step. My aim is to grow and sell safe, pesticide-free vegetables for everyone,โ says Greeshma.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
06 June, 2026
