Organic farming: a way to sustainability for 30 rural women Staff of Work in Freedom project with an objective of safe migration of women and alternative livelihood solutions for women in native regions discussed with potential migrant women from Gopalpursasan G.P organic farming for livelihood in their native village. Interaction with the women revealed that though the land of the village is fertile due to poor market linkage and huge amount of investment on hybrid seeds, pesticides and fertilizers, women cease to depend on farming as livelihood. Moreover, the middlemen took most of the profit.
Aaina staff through rigorous discussion on alternative methods of farming convinced women to start organic farming. Few women from the village decided to take the initiative but lacked traditional seeds since they were depending upon the hybrid seeds from past 15 years. Trained staff of aaina on organic farming from SAMBHAV provided traditional seeds to the women. After that 10 women started growing snake gourd, ribbed gourd and Ivy gourd in the kitchen garden and by the end of April they used this vegetable for their family and also got 10,000 from selling of the rest vegetables. One of the women farmers shared-.” In our village Haripur saddled with rural poverty, organic farming has a great potential to draw households out of dire poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition”.
Now women believe that it was possible to grow vegetables organically without the use of chemicals that are harmful to their health. During the month of May 30 women farmers came forward and started organic farming of snake gourd, ribbed gourd and Ivy gourd in 3 acres of land using organic methods They were trained on seed preservation and preparation of cow dung as organic manures . By the end of June all the 30 household got more profits and earned Rs-90,000 without any investment. This will continue up to August end and likely to got another turnover of 1,50,000. .
Kishore Pradhan, Field worker in the organic farm at Haripur tirelessly put in all the efforts to coordinate farming. He claims it as a sustainable alternative for the households in coming years.
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