The Halcrow Foundation helped Transform Trade fund a project that sustainably improves life for 2,500 families in West Bengal.
Transform Trade is a UK-based charity that helps farmers across East Africa and South Asia to develop their businesses and become more resilient in the face of climate change.
Cycle of poverty
The project established 125 women-led organisations, and gave them training and support to improve their farm management practices by adopting water-saving technologies and making sustainable incomes. Many of the beneficiaries are sharecroppers with limited ownership of the land and water resources. In India, the effects of climate change means more unpredictable rainfall which impacts crop production. The government has installed small-scale irrigation systems, but they only cover small areas of land.
The women come from Birbhum, one of the poorest districts in India. Most of the population belongs to marginalised tribal and caste social groups and are dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. However seasonal unemployment forces the male family members to migrate to urban areas for work, which leaves the women to shoulder the agricultural activities along with household chores. Low literacy levels, limited knowledge of farming systems and lack of access to government schemes are all further barriers to improving the women’s livelihoods, making it difficult for them and their families to escape the cycle of poverty.
Women-led organisations
Halcrow Foundation funds provided training and activities to improve farming practices, including the efficient use of water and crop planning. This was all driven by grassroots, women-led organisations and supported by Transform Trade and its local delivery partner, PRASARI. As well as improving food security, the project has been shown to increase household income, encourage climate-resilient farming and improve the women’s access to government support.
Photo credits: Transform Trade
