Empowering Change: SSP’s Women Leaders are Spearheading a Clean Energy Revolution
As part of the USAID supported South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP), SSP’s rural women leaders in Bihar and Maharashtra are catalyzing a clean energy movement within their communities. In addition to promoting sustainable solutions, these enterprising women are building resilience and empowering their communities in the process.
In Maharashtra’s Solapur District, SSP’s leaders are redefining outreach, leveraging the influence of social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube. Alongside traditional methods like meetings and stalls at local farming events, they are creating awareness on the transformative benefits of biogas in farming communities.
Pramila Chaughule and her family from Doddi Village in Maharashtra, are trailblazers in adopting biogas technology in the South Solapur Block. Intrigued by the content shared by SSP’s women leaders on social media, they took the decision to install a biogas plant in early 2023. With SSP’s support and collaboration with Sistema.bio (a biodigester provider), Pramila’s family embraced the future, installing a biogas plant after a thorough training.
The impact was swift and substantial. They no longer had to depend on expensive LPG gas cylinders for everyday use, Pramila’s family began saving money, reserving LPG only for emergencies. But their journey didn’t stop there. Harnessing the byproduct slurry from the biogas process, they revolutionized their pomegranate orchards. The outcome? A remarkable 50% reduction in farm input costs, equating to impressive savings of Rs. 30,000, as they bid farewell to costly chemical fertilizers.
Pramila notes that the shift to organic farming not only slashed costs but also elevated the quality of their fruit. Their farm stands as a living testament to the rewards of sustainable practices. In the spirit of sharing success, Pramila and her family have thrown open their doors to fellow farmers, showcasing the tangible benefits of their biogas plant. The result? Fifteen more farmers, impressed by the transformation they could see, have booked their own biogas units.
It is evident that SSP’s rural women leaders are not merely promoting clean energy – they are ushering in a ripple effect of positive change, one community at a time.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
January 05, 2024