Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra

The document details a climate-smart agricultural model in Maharashtra, India, that empowers rural women by combining sustainable farming techniques, financial support, and capacity building. Since 2015, 41,000 women have adopted the model, managing 30,000 acres of dry land through organic farming and water conservation. The approach has increased crop yields by 25%, raised incomes by 25%, and saved households approximately US$497 annually. Key components include the use of local seeds, biopesticides, drip irrigation, and the creation of a community-resilient fund. The model has since scaled to over 60,000 women across 810 villages in Maharashtra and has been replicated in Bihar and Odisha.

• A comprehensive strategy integrating agricultural techniques, livelihood diversification, social factors, and innovative finance can elevate the status of women as farmers, which in turn improves household socio-economic status and resilience to climate change.
• The implementation of the climate-smart model led to measurable agricultural and economic gains: crop yields increased by 25% through organic inputs and mixed-cropping, and women's incomes rose by 25% due to improved sales and marketing strategies.
• The model achieved scale and impact by combining technical training in resilience practices with financial mechanisms and institutional partnerships.
• Specific operational successes included the creation of a 500-member cadre of women-farmer leaders for knowledge transfer, a mentoring scheme, and a community-resilient fund for loans.

APA

Thakur, R. (2020). Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Gender-Maharashtra-case-study-2.pdf

Chicago

Thakur, Ritu. Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2020. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Gender-Maharashtra-case-study-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Thakur |first1=Ritu |title=Groundbreaking climate-smart agricultural model empowers rural women in Maharashtra |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=May 2020 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Gender-Maharashtra-case-study-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{thakur2020groundbreaking, author = {Thakur, Ritu}, 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/sites/default/files/files/Gender-Maharashtra-case-study-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }