Shilpamma’s life changed when she started organic farming. Together with her husband, she raises two cows to sell milk for a living and grows her own vegetables to provide for her family; all with the support from RDT. “Me and my husband start very early, we are on our feet at 5 am. While one of us cleans the barn, milks the cows and waters the field, the other goes to the market to sell the milk.”, says Shilpamma.

Being vital members of their community, Shilpamma and her husband run the dairy from which they sell 15 litres of milk every day. An avid participant in committee meetings and support groups for farmers, Shilpamma is also the leader of her village’s sangham and the diary cooperative, which benefits 90 families. Thanks to the implementation of a Sprinkler Irrigation System and the construction of a reservoir as part of RDT’s ecology projects, Shilpamma was not only able to save water but also make more sustainable use of her resources.

“We no longer depend on the rain or fear drought as much: the contained water allows all the land in the area to benefit”, says Shilpamma. Now, with bigger ambitions for a better future, Shilpamma wants to widen her fields, increase production, and be able to sell food crops. In this way, the family will increase their income and secure a dignified and sustainable future.

Text and Image: Katia Álvarez Charro