Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra

The case study describes a climate-smart agricultural model launched in 2014 by Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) to support women farmers in the drought-prone Marathwada region of Maharashtra. By promoting sustainable farming, diversifying livelihoods, and improving water management, the model has reduced farming costs and improved soil fertility and food security. The initiative has scaled to reach over 60,000 women farmers across 810 villages in six districts.

• Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) implemented a women-led climate-smart agriculture model starting in 2014 that focuses on sustainable-farming techniques, water management, livelihood diversification through agriculture-allied businesses, and the marketing of nutritious local foods. This approach has resulted in lower farming costs and improvements in soil fertility and household food security.
• The model has achieved significant scale in Maharashtra, now supporting more than 60,000 women farmers across 810 villages located in six drought-prone districts.
• The project enhances the resilience of families to climate change by strengthening the capacity of women farmers through training in resilience practices, loans, and knowledge exchange, while utilizing a multi-pronged approach that considers social, cultural, and financial factors.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2020). Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra. https://cdkn.org/resource/groundbreaking-climate-smart-agricultural-model-empowers-rural-women-in-maharashtra

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra. 2020. https://cdkn.org/resource/groundbreaking-climate-smart-agricultural-model-empowers-rural-women-in-maharashtra.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra |date=25 May 2020 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/groundbreaking-climate-smart-agricultural-model-empowers-rural-women-in-maharashtra |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2020groundbreaking, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2020}, month = may, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/groundbreaking-climate-smart-agricultural-model-empowers-rural-women-in-maharashtra}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }