Women farmers transform agriculture with organic revolution and indigenous crops

This is women power at its best. A field that has been a preserve of males, agriculture and women have dominated the place with their achievements.

- ASHOK CHATTERJEE

The model of organic farming with higher yields of indigenous varieties of rice and better marketability in the Nayagram block in the Jhargram district, some 200 kilometers from Kolkata, has now inspired its adjacent block, Gopiballavpur-1, to do the same.

Geeta, one of the farmers and purchasing officers for Aamon FPC, said she had to fight for her rights to grow indigenous varieties of rice. But the movement has also given women like her a voice and an opportunity to be on their own.

Aamon FPC stands for Aamon Mahila Chasi Producer Company, a farmer producer company (FPC) in West Bengal that is owned and operated by women farmers.

"Pradan representatives held a meeting with us, after which we formed a group of 10 women. Before this, we had never moved out and remained confined to our homes. Initially, most of the women of the group were hesitant to come out," said Geeta.

Post 2017, after the Aamon movement started, she could see her life changing. That gave her confidence and to the other women who were reluctant to come out.

Some of the women from the group, who were confident and were better speakers, started working for this. "We had to take permission from our elders at home. Pradan members helped us a lot. In my house, my brother and I till our land. Under me, there are around 250 farmers and sharecroppers from different GPs (gram panchayats). There are many women who are very poor and usually go to the forests to collect kendu leaves. We provided small lands and told them that they can grow turmeric, which is not labour intensive," said Geeta.