By Victoria Denison | UK Operations Manager
This report comes from Smruti Das, Shivia's Assistant Consultant in Odisha. Smruti visited Susila, one of our farmers from the tribal communities in Ganjam district. He recorded their conversation which you can watch on our YouTube channel here.
In the video, Susila describes how she began farming to improve her family’s livelihood after facing significant nutritional, emotional and financial challenges as part of a poor tribal community, sometimes relying on forest resources for daily needs. Prior to engaging with our Agri Management Service (AMS) programme, she reported having no scientific knowledge of agriculture or organic methods and relied on traditional practices. With our training and support, she adopted organic and sustainable farming, strengthened her understanding of approaches such as System of Rice Intensification and built skills in pest and disease management and kitchen gardening. She now cultivates a range of vegetables (including okra, brinjal/eggplant, tomatoes and bitter gourd) and sells produce mainly at the nearest weekly market. With her new source of income from farming, Susila prioritises spending on household needs and especially her children’s education and health, with some savings set aside for future investment. She was delighted to be able buy a low-cost mobile phone to support her daughter’s education. Susila talked about her improved economic stability, greater social recognition and increased confidence. She also now shares her agricultural knowledge with other farmers. Looking ahead, she aims to expand production commercially to increase productivity and income and is seeking continued assistance to start an additional village-based business.
In summary....
By Victoria Denison | UK Operations Manager
By Chandrani Banerjee | Head of Livelihood Programmes, West Bengal
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