India’s agricultural landscape is undergoing a quiet transformation — one not led by massive tractors or flashy innovations, but by small collectives of determined women. As climate change brings erratic rainfall, scorching heatwaves, and crop failures, these women are stepping forward to reshape the way India grows its food. With natural farming techniques and grassroots community building, they are leading a just transition toward sustainability — and recognition.
The Climate Crisis on India’s Farmlands
Small-scale farmers across India are facing an uphill battle. Climate change is no longer a distant threat — it’s already here, drying up fields, destroying harvests, and plunging farmers deeper into debt. With every failed monsoon or unseasonal downpour, livelihoods are threatened.
But in the face of these challenges, natural farming — using zero synthetic inputs and focusing on organic practices — offers a glimmer of hope. It’s not just a farming technique; it’s a way to restore soil health, reduce emissions, and increase resilience against the harsh realities of a warming planet.
K. Rama Devi: The Unlikely Leader of a Green Movement
In the quiet village of Chevaturu in Andhra Pradesh, 34-year-old farmer K. Rama Devi is at the forefront of this transformation. She doesn’t attend climate summits or speak at international forums. Her work is local, patient, and persistent — yet deeply powerful.
As the head of a self-help group (SHG), Rama Devi teaches other women how to mix organic manure, grow diverse crops, and abandon harmful chemical fertilisers. Her group’s efforts go beyond crop care — they aim to change attitudes, shift gender dynamics, and build self-reliant communities.
Devi’s group has inspired 312 out of 786 farmers in her village to embrace natural farming, covering crops like cotton, rice, and mangoes. Through workshops, visual guides, and practical demonstrations, they’ve shown that healthy soil and sustainable practices can coexist with profitable agriculture.
Fighting a System That Doesn’t See Them
India’s agriculture sector leans heavily on women. More than 75% of rural women workers are engaged in farming activities. Yet, only 12% of them actually own the land they till. This landlessness excludes them from government support like subsidised loans, credit cards for farmers, and cash schemes.
Without legal land ownership, they are invisible in policy — not officially “farmers” but merely “helpers.” This identity gap reinforces male dominance in agricultural decision-making, both in households and villages.
“Men didn’t listen to us when we started. They thought we didn’t know anything,” Devi said, recalling the early resistance. But slowly, through consistent work and community proof, perceptions began to shift.
The Power of Women’s Collectives
Devi is not alone. Across Andhra Pradesh, thousands of women like her are part of self-help groups that are quietly revolutionising farming from the ground up. These collectives are proving to be “game-changers” — not only by introducing sustainable methods, but also by altering power dynamics within families and communities.
According to T. Vijay Kumar, who leads a natural farming project in Andhra Pradesh, about 55% of the field trainers today are women. As their knowledge grows, so does their influence — in crop decisions, family finances, and social standing.
These women are more than educators. They’re environmental stewards, financial strategists, and social reformers rolled into one. And unlike many traditional development models that overlook or marginalize women, the natural farming movement recognises their role as central to success.
Natural Farming: A Return to Resilience
Natural farming doesn’t rely on imported seeds, synthetic fertilisers, or pesticide sprays. Instead, it promotes locally available inputs like cow dung, compost, and intercropping — techniques that enrich the soil rather than deplete it.
For communities like Chevaturu, this method reduces dependency on outside markets and expensive chemical inputs, which have long been sources of farmer indebtedness. It also significantly lowers the environmental footprint, helping India meet its climate goals while safeguarding rural livelihoods.
Women’s self-help groups are not just spreading this knowledge — they are embodying it, experimenting with it, and adapting it to their local ecosystems.
Finance, Freedom, and the Future
One of the biggest transformations triggered by these women’s groups is financial empowerment. Many SHGs now access bank loans, allowing members to invest in tools, seeds, and training. This financial independence has led to greater decision-making power within homes — and a growing recognition of their leadership in farming.
“When women get involved, things change,” said Vijay Kumar. “Their involvement in decision-making in the household has improved. They are important to take this initiative forward.”
The future of Indian farming might not lie in large-scale industrial fields, but in small, diverse plots cultivated by women like Rama Devi — farmers whose resilience and community spirit are redefining what progress looks like.
A Just Transition Begins With the Margins
India’s path to climate resilience cannot succeed without the inclusion of its women farmers. Their knowledge of the land, their community-first approach, and their ability to build trust and cooperation make them essential architects of a more just, green future.
They are not only helping the planet recover from decades of industrial damage but also reclaiming their rightful place in the story of India’s agricultural legacy. The fields of Chevaturu may look like any other rural landscape — but they are, in truth, the frontlines of a revolution rooted in equality, ecology, and empowerment.
