Selected case story from 'SAMUNNATI: Building climate adaptive farming opportunities and improved livelihoods for women and marginalised groups in Nepal' project
In a small farming village of Dang, the traditional dynamics between men and women have slowly but surely begun to shift. At the heart of this quiet revolution is Sarita Chaudhary, a 30-year-old farmer who has defied cultural norms, by breaking free from unpaid labour and inspiring her community to see women's contributions in a new light.
Her journey began when she joined a training programme offered under the SAMUNNATI Agriculture project. There she engaged in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis and awareness, which taught her to recognise and address the systemic barriers that marginalised women and excluded groups face in agricultural work. This training not only deepened her understanding of structural inequalities but also empowered her to challenge them in her daily life.
Sarita also enrolled in the Climate Field School, where her community selected her as an aguwakrishak (lead farmer). Through this, she gained expertise in regenerative agriculture, using organic fertilisers like jhol mal (bio liquid fertiliser) to improve soil quality.
The results were immediate, and Sarita soon began teaching 20 other farmers the same techniques, helping her village thrive with more sustainable practices. Sarita's story is most evident in her growing leadership role within the community. No longer confined to the boundaries of her home, she regularly speaks at public gatherings of 400 to 500 people, advocating for women's rights and the importance of regenerative farming. She leads her group to participate in meetings of the rural municipality, lobbying for budget allocations that benefit farmers like herself.
What was once a life defined by limitations has now become one filled with opportunity, and self-sufficiency. And for the women of her village, Sarita is proof that they too can chart a new path.
(Written by Tulsi Rauniyar for Practical Action)
