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Sulabh Food Programme
Empowerment. Resilience. Security
Started on 2020 during the Covid 19 pandemic, Sulabh's Food Programme focuses on empowering marginalized farming communities, particularly women farmers. The objective is twofold: reviving indigenous farming methods to ensure year-round food availability and creating seed banks that help women earn livelihoods by selling excess crops and vegetables.
Empowerment
We are deeply committed to empowering marginalized farming communities, particularly women, by promoting sustainable agricultural practices and fostering leadership. Through training and capacity building, women are empowered to take control of seed banks, agribusinesses, and their livelihoods, ensuring they have a voice in decision-making processes.
Impact - SDG 5 (Gender Equality)
Empowerment leads to gender equality, where women farmers are recognized as equal partners in the agricultural ecosystem and can independently manage their resources and economic activities.
Resilience
By restoring ecological balance through the use of indigenous seeds, organic farming methods, and kitchen gardens, we build resilience among the farming communities. These practices enhance the communities' ability to withstand environmental challenges, such as erratic weather patterns, and reduce dependency on external, unsustainable agricultural inputs.
Impact: SDG 13,Climate Action and SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Resilience ensures that the farming communities are better equipped to face economic and environmental uncertainties, thereby securing their livelihoods and sustaining their agricultural practices.
Security
The project's focus on food sovereignty and sustainable development aims to secure the food systems of the local communities. By promoting self-reliance through kitchen gardens and indigenous seed banks, the project enhances food security at the household level, reducing vulnerability to market fluctuations and external pressures
Impact: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 1: No Poverty
Security ensures that families have reliable access to nutritious food, reducing economic vulnerabilities and contributing to overall well-being and stability within the community
Current Projects
Maharashtra
Sulabh’s Food Security Program was launched in July 2021 in the Sangamner and Akole blocks of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, to tackle gender discrimination, food sovereignty, and nutrition. This CSR-funded initiative empowers women farmers by giving them control over seeds, promoting sustainability and aligning with SDGs 1, 2, and 5.
In under three years, the project has set up 10 indigenous seed banks in 20 villages and established 300 kitchen gardens, ensuring food sovereignty for 300 families, reducing market dependency, and saving each family ₹800-₹2000 per month.
The program also fosters agripreneurs by equipping Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with processing units to manage post-harvest activities, addressing agrarian distress, and mitigating farmer suicides. By advocating for women’s rights and promoting sustainable agriculture, the initiative builds climate resilience and drives transformative change at both local and global levels.
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Bihar
The Food Sovereignty Project in Bihar is making a significant impact on the livelihoods of 425 farmers across 10 villages in Darbhanga and Madhubani. By providing free seeds, technical assistance through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK), and market linkages for their produce, the initiative helps farmers increase their income. Additionally, the project offers a support stipend of ₹70 per katha, easing financial burdens. Women farmers also benefit from kitchen garden kits, ensuring their families’ nutritional needs are met. Over time, this collaboration with SISASSS has steadily improved the financial conditions of farmers, establishing it as a model for sustainable livelihood projects. The Food Sovereignty Project has successfully demonstrated that sustainable agricultural practices, combined with financial support and market access, can uplift rural farming communities. With its comprehensive approach—focusing on both income generation and nutrition—the project has become a benchmark for rural development. As it evolves, it promises to bring greater financial stability and empowerment to farmers in Darbhanga and Madhubani, further solidifying its role as a cornerstone of rural progress in the region.
Case study:
Learn about our Award Winning
Project funded by Sodexo
Project Overview
The Food Sovereignty Project in Sangamner block, Ahmednagar, addresses critical challenges like deforestation, water scarcity, gender inequality, and economic instability. By promoting sustainable agriculture and gender-inclusive community development, the project aims to build resilience and prosperity for local farming communities.
1. Gender Equality: Empower women in agriculture, ensuring equal rights and opportunities.
2.Economic Independence: Create sustainable livelihoods for women, fostering financial independence.
3. Household Food Security: Ensure food security with a focus on gender equality.
4. Prevention of Marginalization: Protect rural women from the negative impacts of economic commercialization.
5. Capacity Building: Equip women with skills for sustainable agriculture and modern communication technologies.
6. Organic Practices: Support organic seed cultivation through local organizations.
1. Gender Equality: Empower women in agriculture, ensuring equal rights and opportunities.
2. Economic Independence: Create sustainable livelihoods for women, fostering financial independence.
3. Household Food Security: Ensure food security with a focus on gender equality.
4. Prevention of Marginalization: Protect rural women from the negative impacts of economic commercialization.
5. Capacity Building: Equip women with skills for sustainable agriculture and modern communication technologies.
6. Organic Practices: Support organic seed cultivation through local organizations.
1. Gender Equality: Empower women in agriculture, ensuring equal rights and opportunities.
2.Economic Independence: Create sustainable livelihoods for women, fostering financial independence.
3. Household Food Security: Ensure food security with a focus on gender equality.
4. Prevention of Marginalization: Protect rural women from the negative impacts of economic commercialization.
5. Capacity Building: Equip women with skills for sustainable agriculture and modern communication technologies.
6. Organic Practices: Support organic seed cultivation through local organizations.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Impact is assessed through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), with results shared in annual reports to ensure transparency and continuous improvement.
Impact Stories
The Transformation of Rita: A Story of Strength, Hope,
and Community
In the remote village of Sanahpur, located in the heart of Bihar, Rita Mahto quietly navigated a life filled with challenges. Her husband, Ramesh Mahto, worked far away in Pune, sending what money he could to support their family. In his absence, Rita was left to manage their small farm, care for their children, and run the household on her own.
September 15, 2022
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Empowerment
We are deeply committed to empowering marginalized farming communities, particularly women, by promoting sustainable agricultural practices and fostering leadership. Through training and capacity building, women are empowered to take control of seed banks, agribusinesses, and their livelihoods, ensuring they have a voice in decision-making processes.
Impact - SDG 5 (Gender Equality)
Empowerment leads to gender equality, where women farmers are recognized as equal partners in the agricultural ecosystem and can independently manage their resources and economic activities.
Resilience
By restoring ecological balance through the use of indigenous seeds, organic farming methods, and kitchen gardens, we build resilience among the farming communities. These practices enhance the communities' ability to withstand environmental challenges, such as erratic weather patterns, and reduce dependency on external, unsustainable agricultural inputs.
Impact: SDG 13,Climate Action and SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Resilience ensures that the farming communities are better equipped to face economic and environmental uncertainties, thereby securing their livelihoods and sustaining their agricultural practices.
Security
The project's focus on food sovereignty and sustainable development aims to secure the food systems of the local communities. By promoting self-reliance through kitchen gardens and indigenous seed banks, the project enhances food security at the household level, reducing vulnerability to market fluctuations and external pressures
Impact: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 1: No Poverty
Security ensures that families have reliable access to nutritious food, reducing economic vulnerabilities and contributing to overall well-being and stability within the community
Current Projects
Maharashtra
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Sulabh’s Food Security Program was launched in July 2021 in the Sangamner and Akole blocks of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, to tackle gender discrimination, food sovereignty, and nutrition. This CSR-funded initiative empowers women farmers by giving them control over seeds, promoting sustainability and aligning with SDGs 1, 2, and 5.
In under three years, the project has set up 10 indigenous seed banks in 20 villages and established 300 kitchen gardens, ensuring food sovereignty for 300 families, reducing market dependency, and saving each family ₹800-₹2000 per month.
The program also fosters agripreneurs by equipping Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with processing units to manage post-harvest activities, addressing agrarian distress, and mitigating farmer suicides. By advocating for women’s rights and promoting sustainable agriculture, the initiative builds climate resilience and drives transformative change at both local and global levels.