Sashi is a denizen of Kudar village of Niwari district situated in the Bundelkhand region. The Bundelkhand region comprising of thirteen contiguous districts, seven located in Southern Uttar Pradesh and six districts of Northern Madhya Pradesh, has a recorded history of droughts and severe water scarcity. The region is bereft of any river systems and adverse geological conditions leading to suboptimal recharge.

The ancient kingdoms were aware of the problem and understood that water security could only be ensured if the rainfall was efficiently harvested. To harvest this rainwater, a large number of taalabs were built by local communities and financed by Chandela and Bundela kingdoms in ancient times. These tanks served as a lifeline for the people of the region for centuries. However, due to the change in ownership of these structures from community to the government, the tanks fell in disrepair and disuse since the colonial period.

Small and marginal farmers of the region continually face water scarcity today due to excessive dependence on groundwater resources. The BIWAL project supported by Indusland Bank was initiated with the aim to revive the traditional water harvesting structures and promote agriculture practices which are sustainable both on the front of input and water usage.

Under the said project, the Purania taalab in Sashi’s village was desilted and revived in the summer of this year(May-June 21). A tank management community comprising of village community was set up which oversees its management and maintenance.

Sashi played a crucial role in the desilting process. As a Gram Sakhi of the village, she encouraged people to use the silt removed on their land to improve its fertility. She also maintained the meticulous records of farmers who deposited silt on their fields making detailed entries of the name of the farmer, number of silt trolleys and date of silt transfer. She regularly monitors the water level of the wells of the village to understand the effect of the tank revival on groundwater recharge.

Sashi is also a progressive farmer and was quick to adapt the climate-smart agriculture practices promoted by SRIJAN. She used organic fertilizers concocted by her on the Kharif crop and yielded the same amount of harvest as by using chemical fertilizers.

Seeing her interest and proactiveness, SRIJAN decided to promote her as a lead farmer and supported her in setting up a Prakritik Krishi Kendra on her premises. Her cattle were provided with a better home with concrete flooring and proper drainage along with a sturdy shed roof and ventilation. Her four cows provide her with enough raw material (cow dung and urine) to concoct organic inputs for the interested farmers of her village.

During this Kharif season, Sashi developed 40 quintals of Ghanjivamrit and 1600 litres of Jivamrit. She sells this to the farmers at the rate of Rs.7 per kg for Ghanjivamrit, and Rs. 10 per litre for Jivamrit. The farmers of her village used these inputs on their mung and urad fields to good results.

She maintains 1-acre land of her field as a demo plot. The purpose of a demo plot is to try out new package of practices, better seed varietals, etc., and methodically study their effect. This allows the farmers to scientifically test out new approaches and adopt the best practices as per their own observations.

She proactively encourages farmers to adopt practices which reduce inputs and improve yields by visiting the farms and interacting with women who most often do most of the farming work. The women farmers also gather on her farm for monthly meetings to discuss improved package of practices on the basis of the current crop cycle stage. For example, pre-sowing meetings are held to discuss the best time for sowing, seed treatment, land preparation etc.

She is currently encouraging farmers to try out multi-tier farming on a small plot of their land. Multi-tier farming allows for the growth of various types of vegetables and fruits in a small area by optimum use of vertical space through cultivation of crops of varying heights in the same field.

Apart from being a agriculture spokesperson of her village, she also wears another hat. She is the para vet of Kudar and provides preventive animal health care for small ruminants and poultry. In the month of July, she performed the deworming of 78 goats after receiving the necessary training from SRIJAN.

Sashi, a outspoken and hardworking woman, represents the new face of rural India. More power to women like her who are slowly but surely turning the long-held patriarchal wheel of the society.

Sashi played a crucial role in the desilting process. As a Gram Sakhi of the village, she encouraged people to use the silt removed on their land to improve its fertility.

During this Kharif season, Sashi developed 40 quintals of Ghanjivamrit and 1600 litres of Jivamrit.