How India’s women farmers are finding strength in numbers
A look at how collectives are cropping up across the country to help female farmers get access to land and the right advice on farming methods
Khunti district in the state of Jharkhand is known for being the birthplace of Birsa Munda, a tribal leader who spearheaded a revolutionary movement in the Bengal presidency. However, today, the district is known for something else entirely: Mahila Mandal, a group of nearly 15,000-16,000 women farmers who have come together to form a collective.
The seeds of the group were sown in 2004, with the help of a not-for-profit organisation Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN). Neelam Topno, a farmer belonging to the Munda tribe and one of the female board members of the group, says PRADAN conducted workshops on a new method of growing rice, which used lesser amounts of water. The women in the group were also trained in growing vegetables and fruits in small kitchen gardens and nurseries.