Akhila Vijayaraghavan: Pumping Indian farmers out of poverty

• April 23, 2012

Rio Blogger Prize Finalist header

This is a guest post by Akhila Vijayaraghavan, a finalist in the TckTckTck Rio Blogger Prize competition. If you would like to see this entrant as the official TckTckTck blogger at Rio+20 this June, please help spread the word by sharing this post on your social networks.

One of the biggest deterrents to achieving a sustainable future is poverty. Therefore, alleviating poverty is the best way to reach balanced economic growth and social development without environmental degradation.

Farmers in India need help to get out of poverty

In India, poverty is one of the largest reasons for social problems. As a largely agrarian economy, the country is as vulnerable to climate change like any island nation. A study by Purdue University concluded that changes in the weather patterns have direct implications on the monsoons.

Farmers depend on the monsoon rains from June to September to irrigate their crops, and bad rains means a failed crop which has economic implications. India’s farmers have the highest rates of suicides, especially following a bad monsoon.

During the fallow seasons, farmers often migrate into cities looking for work. Since the entire family moves, children’s education is frequently interrupted, keeping them in a loop of poverty.

Amitabha Sadangi works towards helping farmers

Amitabha Sadangi the chief executive of International Development Enterprises (IDE) came from such a situation. IDE International was founded in 1981 by Dr. Paul Polak. Amitabha Sadangi joined IDE when the India office was launched in 1991.

He was the key player in launching the treadle pump program, and it is because of this that he plays such an important role in poverty alleviation in rural India. In 2000, he set out to develop the organization into an independent organization. Since then, it has launched two basic micro-irrigation techniques. For eastern India, where the water table is shallow, they have developed the treadle pump, which is human-operated by a stepping motion to draw water out of a well.

In the western states, where the water table runs deep, they offer affordable drip irrigation technology intervention (ADITI). Both of these are low-cost, low-maintenance technologies that help farmers get a better yield through better irrigation for their crops. Sadangi’s marketing plan involves a unique mix of featuring the pump in Bollywood movies and visiting villages for live-demonstrations of the pump.

By 2010, IDE’s equipment had helped more than 1.1 million farmers out of poverty by enabling each of them to earn a net additional income of about $400 a year. Through the pumps, farmers are able to grow crops 2-3 times a year and sell the excess to make a better living. This means that their children have access to education as well as improved nutritional intake.

How the Pumps are Supplied

The technology is delivered through village market supply chains to farmers who earn less than one dollar a day.The pump costs between $20 and $32. A tube well costs an additional $11 including installation. A tube well is a water well that is bored into an underground aquifer – the lower end is fitted with a strainer and the top has a pump for irrigation. Farmers pay this entire amount upfront or work out an installment scheme with the local supplier.

Irrigation and the Environment

Although the irrigation solutions are primarily a tool for poverty alleviation, they also have wider implications for sustainable development. Since the treadle pump is human-powered, there is no pollution associated with it. Without this technology, land owners used diesel pumps which are not only costly but also emit carbon and other air pollutants.

According to various studies, crops irrigated by treadle pump require less fertilizer as it is less likely to wash away top soil than alternative irrigation solutions. Similarly, it also reduces the need for pesticides as smart irrigation reduces water pools on the surface, which become breeding grounds for pests. The system has made existing land more productive, without the need to bring in more land into cultivation.

TUV Nord has verified the direct and indirect greenhouse gas savings associated with the use of treadle pumps at 0.477 tonnes/year CO2 per pump. The verified savings over the past four years amount to 177,000 tonnes CO2, of which 52,000 tonnes have been validated. IDE estimates that the total greenhouse gas saving to date is about 1.45 million tonnes of CO2.

The technology has also led to saving water worth 3 billion cu mts, electricity saving of 417 kWh and diesel saving worth 533 million litres.

Changing Lives

Indian farmers are not only able to increase their volume of production as well as the variety of crops they can grow, which in itself increases soil fertility.

The system also improves the lives of the suppliers and distributors who earn commission through IDEI for the pumps that they sell. Many families are now able to afford school books for their children or a bicycle to help them get to school easily.

Through the very simple innovation of an irrigation system, Amitabha Sadangi is giving Indian farmers a new lease on life as demonstrated by what one farmer from Orissa had to say: “It is marvellous to be able to draw water out from the well with such simplicity and without the constant black smoke. The farm is now my own patch of green paradise.”


  • Abhijit Nag

    Akhila, I agree with you, poverty alleviation is the best way towards a sustainable future. The best way to do that is to ensure food security, especially in those countries dependent on small farmers.

    • http://www.thegreenden.net Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Small farmers are the backbone of a sustainable future. Thank you for your comment!

      • Tina Lee

        It’ll be a very sad…and hungry!!…future if there are no small farmers in the future

  • Davida

    This answers the question “Can farming in the developing world GROW BIGGER without having a detrimental effect on the environment?” with YES. Love that this brings attention to an organization that is already succeeding in the sustainable agriculture sector on a micro-scale and should be able to scale up to have a greater effect for all of India – and around the world, wherever subsistence farmers are ready and willing to turn the corner to farming for profit.

    • http://www.thegreenden.net Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      IDEI has taken a concept that has been around for awhile and made it its own. I love how they have adapted the system to suit local conditions as well as using innovative methods to market themselves.

  • Alissa Brown

    Excellent point about poverty alleviation being the key to a sustainable future. Water issues are one of the biggest problems holding back the third world from reaching its full agricultural potential. With cheap innovations like the treadle pump, perhaps the need for GMO can be eliminated.

    • http://www.thegreenden.net Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thanks for your comment. I agree with your Alissa – I do think that if we manage natural resources better, then the need for ‘unnatural’ arsenal like GMO can be eliminated.

      • Tina Lee

        There’s no point in spending so much money on GMO if money and time is not spent at the heart of agriculture….the small farmer

  • http://thegreenden.net/ Priti Ambani

    Great post! Developing economies urgently need high impact solutions like these that benefit – environment, economy and society to grow and develop sustainably. Grassroot solutions like these are critical to balance supply and demand scenarios as the world population grows and resources are diminishing.

    Priti Ambani
    @envirotarian

    Core Consultant- GreenDen Consultancy http://thegreenden.net/
    Managing Editor- Ecopreneurist http://ecopreneurist.com/

    • http://www.thegreenden.net Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Grassroot solutions are definitely the way to grow Priti. Governments should be paying more attention to such social innovators and find ways to encourage them.

  • http://www.sustainableindustries.com Andrea Newell

    Great post!

  • http://www.ytenterprises.com/ Yusuf Turab

    Great Story

  • frank lesher

    I wish there were 100,000 Akhilas to spread good information like this further!

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Ha ha Frank! Thanks for that thought. I’m afraid that would cause too much mayhem, don’t you think?? :D

  • http://www.triplepundit.com Nick Aster

    Brilliant stuff Akhila, thanks for posting this one! Without meeting the most basic needs and leading people to the opportunity for education we don’t stand a chance of slowing down our population growth – the root of all our environmental and many social problems!

    • http://www.thegreenden.net Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Agree with you Nick. To quote Gandhi, unless people’s bellies are full we cannot even think of tackling the bigger issues. Food security must be taken care of to reach the higher goals of sustainability.

  • Kalyani Anand

    Great article Akhila! Developing countries do need simple and sustainable solutions that are easily affordable to the farmers and do not strain them financially.

  • http://www.thegreenden.net Akhila Vijayaraghavan

    Thank you everybody for your kind comments. IDEI as an organization is truly changing the world for many farmers in India. Please read more about their good work here: http://www.ideorg.org/OurTechnologies/TreadlePump.aspx and support them if you can!

  • Shalmali

    Well written and researched article. I wish you all the best.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you Shalmali!

  • Indra

    Thoughtful writing Akhila! Sustainability has to be addressed at various levels. To me it begins with educating people involved, about the value of what they do and having them back in the farming profession.Instead of starting Engineering colleges and Industries in rural areas of India,it would be sensible to start Agricultural colleges and Agro-based industries, so that the youth get access to education that will give them confidence and motivation to pursue agriculture and allied industries.With increase in population and diminishing farmlands, a new generation of farmers should acquire skills to optimize resources and increase profits.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you for your comment. I agree with you – the rush for starting engineering colleges in rural areas of India needs to slacken, instead education options for rural people should include agriculture and agro-based technology. This will prevent influx of people into the cities whilst providing more sustainable lifestyles in rural areas.

    • Namisha Patel

      I don’t understand this phenomenon. I think if children of farmers are given better opportunities and access to education, they will have a better life. Instead, they migrate to cities with degrees from dubious colleges and barely make ends meet. They are encumbered by loans, rent and other living expenses. Instead, there needs to be a way to encourage local farming knowledge to be enhanced through modern technology and simple innovations like these.

      • Tina Lee

        Education really is key in such situations. The better access to education and modern technologies as aforementioned will relieve the pressure on parents to rely on children in farming in such tough conditions, subsequently providing children with time for education and assisting in farming in a more time efficient way. A bit of a catch 22 that can be easily resolved with governments and the corporate sector actually acting on all of their promises of allievating poverty and world hunger…they can easily and should at least assist in providing access to modern technology/simple innovations.

  • Karthik Venkatesan

    This is a very insightful article on an issue which has wide interest in areas where subsistence farming is taking place.

  • http://www.mediarun.co.in Anant Swarup

    Great article Akhila.

    It just goes to show that if one man with the determination can do so much for so many, eradication of poverty at a macro level is not that difficult.

    Unfortunately it’s too important a political propaganda used by parties who have very little intention to doing anything about it.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you for your comment Anant. You have made a very valid point about poverty eradication and political propaganda.

  • Zoya Colquhoun

    Akhila, spot on point about poverty and sustainability. Maximizing yield while minimizing input should be the goal of Indian agriculture. To do this is in a sustainable, organic way is a challenge. Innovations such as these will lead the way forward for struggling farmers.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      I’m glad you agree Zoya. Small scale and organic farming is the way forward and anything that makes it easier should be encouraged.

  • http://www.greenbusinessowner.com/ Scott Cooney

    It’s definitely tantamount that we create an economy where people of all backgrounds have an opportunity to have meaningful work. Without that, society will never be stable, which is critical to sustainability.

    -Scott Cooney
    http://www.GreenBusinessOwner.com

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you for your comment Scott. I like that you pointed out the connection between ‘meaningful work’ and sustainability. Having worked closely with farmers in India, I know for a fact that many of them are dismayed that they have to leave a trade that they know and love for something that just brings them sustenance. Many children of farmers do not want to become farmers not because they don’t want to, but because life as a farmer is hard and uncertain. If simple things like this can bring certainty in terms of yield, lives of farmers everywhere would be easier.

  • http://www.environmentwriter.com Daniel McDonell

    Mr. Sadangi’s treadle pump program is a great example of an idealized sustainability program that brings economic and social benefits to Indian farmers whilst safeguarding the environment and natural resources. Great post, keep up the good work!

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you Daniel. The IDEI program does indeed bring together the vision of one man and various positive socio-economic benefits. Not only is it eco-friendly, it is also cheap making it ideal for small-scale farmers

  • Caroline Rae

    Love your article Akhila! It’s a great example of how a small and simple idea can blossom and have far reaching effects. Working from the ground up! Productivity can be increased, with added quality of life, sustainably.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Caroline – the world definitely needs group up solutions now. Sustainability needs to reach the masses. It is not longer an elite lifestyle choice.

  • Jay Thakkar

    Greatly articulated.

    However, the chicken and the egg question is – Will sustainability eradicate poverty, or will end of poverty bring sustainability?

    It is ideal to say that they complement each other, but is it practical as well?

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Jay, like most chicken and egg situations, the answer is a circular balance. Just because there is a catch-22 doesn’t mean that there should be inaction.

    • Zoya Colquhoun

      It is true that poverty is a deterrent towards sustainability, although sustainability can actually uplift people out of poverty. The practicality of a situation becomes obvious when there are tangible benefits associated with a system. In this case, it is quite obvious that there are benefits.

      • Alissa Brown

        It’s key to get articles like Akhila’s out into the mainstream so that such benefits can no longer be overlooked

  • jeff nielsen

    It really makes you wonder if this kind progress can be made in poorer places. What can richer countrys really be capable of. Storiees like this really open our minds, to the possibilitys that we sometimes over look, using excuses like I don’t have the time or the money. These articles truely do inspire change.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      I’m glad this article is inspiring to you Jeff. The power of one person can never be discounted. All we need for change the way things are is a group of determined people. Thanks for stopping by!

  • Lis Duarte

    Small farming, rural or urban, is the future of agriculture; and tackling local issues are the fundamental chalenges. Your post is a very thoughtful and inspiring job, Akhila !

  • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

    Thank you again for everybody who has commented. It is lovely to engage with all of you. Once again, please visit the IDEI website for more information: http://www.ideorg.org/OurTechnologies/TreadlePump.aspx

  • Haran

    Poverty must be eliminated for sustainability to become more widespread. The best way to do this is to ensure that our farmers are taken care of. Once there is enough food for everybody, the task will become easier.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      I absolutely agree with you. Once hunger is abolished, the task will become considerably easier. Thank you for pointing that out!

  • Paul John

    Farmers should be respected because they grow our food.

  • Achinthya

    We need to pay more attention to the farming community and their needs to prevent food shortage.

  • Chitra

    Yaya! If farmlands fall under industrial and residential zoning then India will have to be importing most of its food like Singapore…(difference is S’pore has infrastructure)and the poor will be poorer but only the rich can afford the imported food… can’t imagine how pitiable it would be….

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      You are totally right. Small farmers face a lot of problems from dwindling resources, unpredictable monsoons, loans to pay back etc. Many of them find it easier to sell their land (usually for a pittance) and move to the cities. This land is then developed for industrial or housing purposes. If this continues to happen, then Indian will soon have to start importing food and with the kind of population we have, it is economically not feasible and the rich/poor divide will increase exponentially.

      Food security is the only way for India to get out of poverty. According to the UNDP, once India is on its way out of poverty, the Millennium Development Goals will be easier to achieve – that is something to think about. This is why it is important to keep rural jobs in rural areas and focus more on agro-based industry.

      • Alissa Brown

        If more and more farmers are moving into cities, this must make the cities very crowded (even more so than now). Thus causing unemployment rates to increase and unemployment leading to higher crime rates. It is also interesting to note that India pretty much holds the key in poverty alleviation, simply because there are so many people.

  • Namisha Patel

    This is a fantastic innovation! Akhila, I have been reading your blog for awhile now and I love the way you write. I’m rooting for you to go Rio – you would make a great on-site blogger. Good Luck!

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you so much for your wishes and readership!

  • http://juanvillamayor.com Juan Villamayor

    Great article, Akhila, thanks for sharing it with us. This kind of ideas are what we need to fight poverty efficiently. This applies not only to India but other countries as well.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you for your comment Juan. Yes, the treadle pump is applicable in pretty much any country. It is being employed in Bangladesh and parts of Africa to great effect.

  • Valery Kalemba

    Akhila, thank you for sharing this information and highlighting the implementation of and types of benefits reaped from the treadle pump. IMO it is important to hear about stories and case studies like this — how simple, inexpensive solutions (in this case, the treadle pump) are having real-life important impacts on people (i.e., alleviating the poverty burden of subsistence farmers, and indirectly improving life prospects such as childrens’ access to education) and at the same time are not negatively impacting the environment. I would be interested in hearing more details about who is establishing microfinance programs to assist these impoverished rural farmers and–better yet–who is stepping up and shouldering (some of) the costs. (good luck with your Rio+20 quest)

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you Valery, for your comment and wishes. One of the brilliant things about this business model is that farmers do not actually need loans to buy a pump. It is cheap enough for many to be able to afford one – they pay cash upfront. Otherwise, there is an option for them to work out an installment scheme with the distributor. In this case, they would maybe pay the amount in 2 or 3 interest-free installments. Hope this answers your question!

  • Anita Ruiz

    Very well written article! This is the type of articles we need more of in order to better publicise and aid in the fight against world hunger.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you Anita – I’ve noticed you have commented multiple times and I appreciate your thoughts. Hunger is a very serious issue and a sad reality for millions of people in the world. We cannot hope to achieve a sustainable society with hungry bellies.

  • Remya Thomas

    With the reality of the travails of small-holder farmers in India, such sustainability initiatives needs to be talked about more, so they get greater support from the government and corporate sector. Good article, Akhila!

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Hi Remya, Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you recognize that this is a fantastic scheme for the corporate sector to get involved. It can easily fit in to their CSR portfolios, especially those of food companies. They have a direct stake in agriculture.

      • Alissa Brown

        Surely not just food companies but also packaging companies involved in recyclable and/or organic materials?

  • Anu Shree

    Excellent article! Farmers in India need more help and recognition. The government should support such schemes to ensure that farmers are able to grow their crops easily.

    • Alissa Brown

      this is also applicable to farmers worldwide

      • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

        Anu Shree – You are right. Farmers in India do need more help and recognition. The plight of the farming community is appalling. If something is not done now, then we may not even have farmers a few years down the line.

        Alissa – Yes you are right. Farmers in the rest of the world do not have it very easy either. We need to start respecting where our food comes from and who grows it for us.

        Thank you both for commenting!

  • Prathu

    Good article! Without access to water, we cannot expect farmers to grow food.

  • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

    I’m loving the interaction with everyone here and reading about the different kind of views! Thank you so much for this valuable discussion!

  • Kielo

    Great article. Water is such a basic need that it’s often easy for those who have easy and plentiful access to take it for granted. It’s important to remember that this isn’t the case for everyone.

    • Anita Ruiz

      You’re spot on Kielo! I’d love to see big business(government ) fat cats having to go without their imported mineral waters :-P When will they realise that so many people do lack access to basic essentials like clean water.

      • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

        I don’t think they’d last a day Anita! To make one liter of bottled water, it takes two liters of water and it created a whole lot of plastic waste. So many people so lack access to the basics, which is why there is a terrible imbalance in the world and why the ideal of sustainability is getting harder to reach. We all need to play a part to even this out.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Kielo – thanks for your comment. Water really is so easy to take for granted for so many. However, there have already been so many instances of unrest due to the lack of water. The wars of the future will not be fought over oil but will be fought for water. Maximizing the potential of this precious resource is imperative for stable societies.

  • John

    Great article, neatly demonstrates the impact of effective irrigation on communities, the environment and beyond, thanks for posting!

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      My pleasure John! Thanks for dropping in and commenting.

  • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

    Alissa Brown – For some reason I cannot reply to your comment about under Remya’s comment about packaging companies. Apart from agri-businesses, all their stakeholders also are going be impacted – this is going to include all their suppliers and obviously consumers as well as other parties.

  • Nikethana

    Fantastic article. Amazing how its possible to empowerfarmers in ways that are sustainable and natural resource friendly.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you Nikethana for your comment!

  • Anandhi

    Great article..water is very important and it’s get that they have found means to help farmers to conserve this increasingly scarce resource.. And also increase productivity

  • Dipu

    Akhila, this is really thoughtful, well written article. This pump really seems to have helped a lot of farmers – I hope that there is sufficient awareness about it in the agro community.

    Water is one issue that farmers face – but due to a highly inefficient system – farmers only see a tiny fraction of the value of their labor. Most of the money disappears into the pockets of middle men who benefit from the fact that the agricultural community is highy disroganized and fragmented.

    What India desperately needs are more organized, large scale farms to increase overall efficiencies and outputs. The small scale farmers can get absorbed into the large scale farms or use their land to create more specialized, high value product – like organic foods.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Dipu, thank you for your comment. You have rightly pointed out the inefficiencies of the Indian agricultural system. The base of the pyramid are the small farmers and they bear the brunt of injustice. There definitely needs to be a revolution in Indian farming.

  • http://thegreenstudent.blogspot.co.uk/ Amber Renarde

    Great article! Am excited to see more of your work. You are a great communicator. Always love reading your pieces.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you Amber for your continued readership and for taking the time to comment on this post!

  • Dawson Murdoch

    I really like the way it shows what a difference just one person can make. Just think what more could! Shows the way we are all linked. People and environment together.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you Dawson, for pointing out the power of one and what collective action can do!

  • Vijay

    Hello Akhila, thank you for this very articulately written article. As a small (part-time) farmer myself, I understand fully the trials that the farming community faces. Apart from an often erratic monsoon, we have to contend with many issues including pest-eradication and soil fertility. A combination of clever irrigation techniques like the treadle pump and organic practices will considerably increase yield. This is something that I have witnessed.

    It is not just food that farmers grow – it is also crops like cotton and jute that support the clothing industry, as well as crops that go into the making of biofuels. All of these secondary industries are affected by a bad harvest and ultimately, it is the farmer that pays the price. Many farmers have been known to commit suicide after a bad harvest and this is tragic because we are slowly losing out on local knowledge apart from productivity.

    It is up to social entrepreneurs like Sadangi to do something about this because the Indian government is slow to take long-term, strong action. Journalists like you also play an important role in creating awareness. I wish you all the best.

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      It is wonderful to hear from a small farmer! I value your comment, as I’m sure you will understand the difficulties that farmers everywhere face. You have also rightly pointed out that farming stretches far beyond just food crops – thank you for making this clearer. Farming affects several secondary industries and not just the food industry.

  • Pocketmouse

    This is very well written. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

    • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

      Thank you for stopping by and commenting!

  • Shaila

    Great article! It goes to show that such simple things make all the difference in the lives of those who toil tirelessly for a living, and can have a greater impact overall. If these families can now afford a better lifestyle enabling education for their children because of this pump, the impact will reach far into the future.

  • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

    Hi Shaila, You have correctly pointed out that this kind of simple innovations are helping the children of farmers get a better life. If they are able to see that farming need not be energy-intensive and rewardless, then they might be more willing to stay in the profession. Thanks for your comment!

  • Akhila Vijayaraghavan

    Thank you to each one of you who have taken the time to comment, like, and tweet this post. I’m truly humbled by the response that this post has generated!

  • Adarsh Gupta

    Hey aks

    Good write-up.
    I have a few points though:
    a. Poverty cannot be eliminated from the world. Poverty is a relative term and even if the per capita income of the lower strata of society increases, it will for the the middle and upper class as well. Hence, in relative terms poverty will always remain.
    You may argue that at least they would be able to afford basic necessities. But as income levels increase overall, the cost of living also increases and hence, their relative status will remain the same.
    This is a fact and the truth.
    Eliminating poverty is a good step and efforts in the right direction. Thats where education comes in. So to make people self-reliable and self-sufficient, give them good education. Make education more affordable and accessible in rural areas to avoid influx into the cities. This will keep the people in their homes and also eliminate various problems which larger cities face.

    b. The soil needs nutrition too. If by irrigation, the farmer is able to turn-around 2-3 yields per year, the quality of the yield will drop, unless the nutrients in the soil are replenished at a similar rate. Its good that the Treadle Pump helps to reduce loss of the top soil and hence a slower rate of depletion of the soil nutrients. However, to get 2-3 successful yields from the soil, hyper-replenishment of nutrients can happen only by a non-natural process like using a fertilizer.
    Again, the seeds are an important factor. The GM seeds used also are not helping the cause.

    c. Finally, the demand is exceeding the supply a lot and with the access to real market prices through commodity exchanges, farmers and agriculturists are tempted to use fertilizers which, in the short term may benefit them enormously, but in the long run would kill their soil.

    All the above factors make it so important for each stakeholder (Support provider for irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, buyers) to think long term, not only of their business (which is directly associated to this industry), but also of the future of agriculture!

    Just some thoughts :)
    Cheers
    Adi

    PS: Who is benefiting from the carbon credits from this entire initiative of IDE?

  • Nivedita

    Very Well Written…It just goes to show that one person can make such a difference in empowering so many people to lead a better life…

  • KG BAALAKRISHNAN

    Great work . keep it up

  • Neela venkatesan

    Recently I read Mark Tulleys book “India in slow motion” Where the author expresses the pitiful plight of the Indian farmers and the suicidal deaths. So to eradicate poverty at the farmers level is very imperative. The helpful tips in the article if carried out to practice thru international organizations like rotary and soraptimist; can have a far reaching impact.

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