Powering systemic sustainable change with smart village solutions

Project ASTHA, a partnership between PRADAN and Schneider Electric in Sehal Bara Soli, Jharkhand, India, replaced unsustainable diesel pumps with solar-powered pumps and installed solar microgrids. This transition enabled farmers to grow multiple crop cycles annually, increasing family incomes by USD 710 to USD 830 and reducing rural-urban migration rates from 54% to 17%. The initiative also empowered women through the Ghagara Women Farmer Producer Company and improved educational opportunities via reliable electricity.

• The implementation of solar-powered pumps and microgrids in Sehal Bara Soli led to a significant decrease in rural-urban migration, with rates dropping from 54% to 17%.
• Solar irrigation allowed farmers to move beyond a single annual crop to second and third cycles, including cash crops, which increased annual family incomes by between USD 710 and USD 830.
• The project fostered women's empowerment and economic agency through the establishment of the Ghagara Women Farmer Producer Company, involving women in agro-processing activities like rice milling, mustard oil production, and Sal leaf plate crafting.

APA

Ng, L. (2025). Powering systemic sustainable change with smart village solutions. Alliance for Renewable Electrification. https://renewelec.org/powering-systemic-sustainable-change-with-smart-village-solutions/

Chicago

Ng, Ling. Powering systemic sustainable change with smart village solutions. Alliance for Renewable Electrification, 2025. https://renewelec.org/powering-systemic-sustainable-change-with-smart-village-solutions/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ng |first1=Ling |title=Powering systemic sustainable change with smart village solutions |publisher=Alliance for Renewable Electrification |date=18 February 2025 |url=https://renewelec.org/powering-systemic-sustainable-change-with-smart-village-solutions/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ng2025powering, author = {Ng, Ling}, title = {{Powering systemic sustainable change with smart village solutions}}, institution = {Alliance for Renewable Electrification}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://renewelec.org/powering-systemic-sustainable-change-with-smart-village-solutions/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }