Powering systemic sustainable change with smart village solutions

This case study describes Project ASTHA, a collaboration between the NGO PRADAN and Schneider Electric in Sehal Bara Soli, Jharkhand, India. The project replaced unsustainable diesel pumps with solar-powered pumps and installed solar microgrids to address erratic power supplies and monsoon dependence, resulting in increased agricultural productivity, reduced rural-urban migration, and enhanced socio-economic opportunities for women.

• Project ASTHA significantly reduced rural-urban migration in participating villages, with rates dropping from 54% to 17%.
• The implementation of high-capacity solar pumps enabled farmers to grow second and third crop cycles, including cash crops, which increased annual family incomes by between USD 710 and USD 830.
• The initiative empowered women through the Ghagara Women Farmer Producer Company, enabling them to lead agro-processing activities such as rice milling, mustard oil production, and the crafting of Sal leaf plates.

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} }