Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation

01/05/2026

Hands that feed the nation often remain unseen, yet they carry the weight of our food systems with quiet strength and resilience. On , we recognise the dignity, skill, and persistence of women farmers whose labour sustains families, communities, and futures. The story of our food begins here.

17/04/2026

Roselle farming is emerging as a great option for farmers. Used in herbal teas and medicines, it has strong market demand and relatively low pest issues, making it easier to manage.

With a crop cycle of around 5 months and good market prices for dried flowers, it offers promising returns per acre. A smart option more farmers are starting to explore.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/xQFu-6_tWUU?si=ULnK6TzqtRPPS4lc

09/04/2026

“We’ve had our fill. Mushrooms are now part of our everyday meal,” says Pratima Mahto from Tetuldih village located in West Singbhum district of Jharkhand.

Not long ago, mushrooms were something her family could only enjoy during the monsoon. With support from our partner Watershed Support Services and Activities Network - Wassan, she decided to try growing oyster mushrooms at home.

Her first attempt didn’t succeed, but she kept going. This year, she harvested 8–10 kg, turning mushrooms into a regular, nutritious part of their diet.

Around the same time, she began working on a kitchen garden on a patch of land that was once barren and stony. With patience and the use of organic compost, the soil slowly came to life. Today, her garden grows more than 10 varieties of vegetables, from leafy greens and cabbage to brinjal and even strawberries. With relay cropping, there is always something ready to harvest, and most of what the family eats now comes straight from their own chemical-free garden.

Her journey has quietly inspired change around her. Seven other women in the village have started mushroom cultivation, and Pratima has even been able to sell surplus vegetables like cabbage. She has also planted fruit trees like papaya, banana, and lemon, which will begin yielding soon.

Since 2021, she has been working as a Community Resource Person with WASSAN, supporting nine villages and helping others take up similar practices. What started as a small step at home is now creating a ripple effect across her community.

01/04/2026

Tomato cultivation across 3 acres was undertaken by nine farmers, producing 43,443 kg and generating ₹3,34,186 in a single season, in Betlo village of Korba district, Chhattisgarh.

Enabled by a community farm pond built under VB-G RAM G (formerly MGNREGA), farmers gained reliable irrigation and moved beyond single-season farming, alongside the use of natural pest control formulations such as Neemastra and Brahmastra.

The outcomes are reflected in individual earnings as well, with farmers like Urmila Bai earning over ₹1 lakh, while Savni Bai earned around ₹78,000, highlighting the potential of smallholder-led commercial cultivation when supported by the right infrastructure.

Equally significant was the collective approach where farmers worked together, shared knowledge, and strengthened local systems of support, contributing to both economic and social resilience.

27/03/2026

Sunflowers stretch across 30 acres in Kesabguda village, located in the Dasamantapur block of Koraput district, Odisha. Behind them are the women of Buda Jhankar Debi Producer Group, who chose organic and climate-resilient farming.

Quality seeds and organic inputs were provided by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Koraput, while our partner, the Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD), provided on-ground facilitation.

Convergence in action. Communities in lead. Livelihoods blooming, one sunflower at a time.

23/03/2026

"Pesticide is like a paracetamol. Its effect on the crops ends after an hour."

This is Laxmikant Vishnu Munde, a farmer from Bodhadi Khurd in Maharashtra's Nanded district. For three decades, he spent huge amounts on pesticides and chemical fertilisers across his 4-acre land, watching his soil fertility and crop yields slowly decline year after year.

Things changed when he was introduced to Jeevamrit - an affordable, natural alternative to chemical inputs helping restore soil health from the ground up. With consistent handholding support, he prepared 6000 litres and used it on 1.5 acres of vegetable crops.

The results spoke for themselves. On his cauliflower field, where he expected 500 out of 3500 plants to be destroyed by pests, only 10-15 were lost. The size of the cauliflowers was much larger than usual. His earnings jumped from ₹30,000-35,000 per season to ₹85,000.

Now Laxmikant has a simple message for fellow farmers: "Jeevamrit is the king of farming. Nothing can match its strength."

18/03/2026

Tirupati Nivruti Phade holds an M.A. in Political Science, another in History, a B.Ed., and was pursuing a PhD. But his heart was always in the fields he grew up in. Today, you'll find him on his 6-acre farm in Bodhadi, Kinwat, in the Nanded district of Maharashtra, growing chikoo, mangoes, and even dates - a crop most farmers avoid.

Ketan from our team sat down with him to learn why he made this choice.

Here's what Tirupati wants you to know:
"I tell my friends not to chase cities blindly. Farming gives us independence. We work on our own land, for ourselves."

Read the full interview with Tirupati in the link below!

https://www.brlf.in/rooted-in-the-village-tirupati-nivruti-phades-journey-back-to-farming/

In a quiet village in Maharashtra, surrounded by orchards and red soil, lives a man whose journey defies conventional career paths. Tirupati Nivruti Phade is not just a farmer—he is a scholar with multiple degrees, a researcher, and now a passionate advocate for natural farming. In a conversation ...

11/03/2026

Mahua harvest in Aheri 🌼

A basket full of mahua flowers means more than a seasonal harvest—it represents resilience, knowledge of the forest, and livelihoods rooted in nature.

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📍 Aheri, Maharashtra

09/03/2026

On this International Women’s Day, we extend our warmest wishes to all women - in our teams, in the communities we work with, and everywhere. Your strength, resilience, and leadership continue to inspire meaningful change.

Let's work on building inclusive and stronger institutions based on equal opportunity, trust, and mutual respect.

06/03/2026

Not just here to speak, but to listen and learn. Our staff member, Lijalin Moharana posing with these inspiring women from Odisha on this International Women's Day. Together, they are building hashtag . Here’s to the bonds we build.

05/03/2026

“We are women. We are not weak. We are the strength of our families, our land, and our community. Together we rise, together we succeed.”

International Women’s Day 2026, under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”, calls for action to dismantle all barriers to equal justice: discriminatory laws, weak legal protections, and harmful practices and social norms that erode the rights of women and girls.

In Bodoland, Assam, women from Sarathi PG in Goibari Village of Tamulpur District shared this powerful message about strength and unity. Their words reflect the spirit of women across the region and are a reminder to continue creating spaces where women’s voices are heard, their work is valued, and their leadership grows.