Dwarka Jadhav is a rural woman leader from Bhopni village in Deoni Block of Latur District, Maharashtra. Since joining SSP in 2021, she has emerged as an entrepreneur and leader in her village, promoting sustainable climate-smart agriculture, along with water conservation at the individual and community levels.
Prior to joining SSP, Dwarka Tai worked her family’s 3-acre farm along with her in-laws. Her husband, working as a local middleman, handled the selling of their products. In 2021, after attending SSP’s Entrepreneurship Development Program, Dwarka tai decided to start cultivating vegetables on a small-plot of land using the practices that she learnt through the training. She began to use organic manure, bio-pesticides and bo-insecticides to grow multiple crops like gram and sorghum She also began to sell her produce in the village locally, and the larger weekly Block-level market in Deoni.
In 2022, Dwarka tai started working as a village leader, promoting SSP’s Women-led Climate Resilient Farming Model. She also attended trainings on water conservation and budgeting techniques. Inspired by the trainings, and recognising the importance of proper water management, Dwarka tai and her family began practicing rainwater harvesting on their farm. Further, they also began to use water saving irrigation methods like drip irrigation and sprinklers for crop cultivation. Through these efforts, the groundwater table was rejuvenated, and Dwarka tai realised that the borewell that was dysfunctional in the summer months now provided more water throughout the year. By being able to expand vegetable cultivation and carry it out even in summer, Dwarka tai has been able to increase her income from Rs. 50,000 To Rs. 125,000 annually.
In addition to implementing water conservation practices individually, Dwarka tai conducts trainings and meetings with other women from her village on the WCRF model of agriculture and the importance of water management. In the past few months, she has been able to mobilise 10 other women farmers to start using water saving irrigation practices and rainwater harvesting. Further, through her efforts in lobbying and advocating with the Gram Panchayat, today rainwater harvesting is carried out at the village level. The common community borewell, from which villagers collect their drinking water, has also seen an increase in the amount of water available due to these efforts.
When asked about her future plan, Dwarka tai says,” I want to mobilise and work with more women in my village to become entrepreneurs, and start practicing climate-smart agriculture. This will enable them to become independent and stand on their own feet.”
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
April 25, 2023