Across India’s climate-stressed rural landscape, women have long carried the invisible burden of agriculture — contributing nearly 80% of on-farm labour while rarely having a voice in decisions. Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) has spent over two decades turning this reality on its head by placing rural women at the centre of climate resilience, food security, and community leadership. What began as a response to repeated droughts in Marathwada has evolved into a nationally recognised model that enables women to reclaim agency as farmers, innovators, and changemakers.
Through its Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) approach, SSP equips women to cultivate diverse, nutritious crops using low-cost, sustainable methods — transforming unused plots into productive one-acre farms and strengthening both household nutrition and income stability. As women gain control over crop planning, resources, and markets, they also emerge as leaders within their families, panchayats, and village institutions.
In this exclusive interview with TheCSRUniverse, Ms. Naseem Shaikh, CEO, SSP reflects on SSP’s journey, the evolution of its women-led model, and the transformative impact being created across Maharashtra, Kerala, Bihar, and beyond. She also shares insights into partnerships, policy linkages, climate action, and SSP’s ambitious goals for scaling its work to one million women by 2030.
Read the full interview for deeper insights:
Q. For over two decades, Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) has been empowering rural women to become community leaders and entrepreneurs in climate-affected regions. What inspired this women-led model, and how has it shaped SSP’s mission on the ground?
A. For over two decades, Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) has been empowering rural women to take charge as community leaders, farmers, and entrepreneurs, especially in the climate-affected regions of Marathwada, Maharashtra.
This women-led model was born out of SSP’s close work with drought-affected families. In most rural households, agriculture is the main source of livelihood, and nearly women do 80% of the work on farms. Yet, women had very little say in farming decisions, land use, or income. During repeated droughts, SSP observed that many farming families were struggling to feed their children. Despite their hard work, they lacked nutritious and chemical-free food, and farmers were often trapped in debt because they had to take loans to buy expensive market inputs like seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.
To address this, SSP introduced a women-led food security model. The idea was simple but powerful—encourage women to use small plots of land, kitchen gardens, or even farm bunds to grow diverse and healthy food crops for their families. Women quickly embraced the idea. Over time, they began to negotiate with their families for access to more land so they could expand food crop cultivation.
As their confidence grew, women started experimenting with sustainable and low-cost farming practices, such as organic composting, intercropping, and use of local seeds. These practices not only improved the nutrition and food security of their families but also helped to reduce the cost of cultivation and make farming more climate-resilient.
What began as a small effort to ensure food for their families evolved into a transformative, women-led climate resilience model. By 2017, SSP’s approach was recognized globally by the UNDP Equator Initiative for its innovation and impact showing how empowering women as farmers and decision-makers can lead to sustainable change in drought-prone regions like Marathwada.
Q. How has the Women-led Climate Resilient Farming model helped rural women enhance food security and take stronger ownership as farmers and decision-makers?
A. Through SSP’s Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) model, rural women in drought-affected regions like Marathwada have been able to transform their role from unpaid farm labourers to recognized farmers and key decision-makers in their households and communities.
Initially, women realized that their families were spending money to buy vegetables and basic food items from the market. Even though they had small pieces of land lying unused. This inspired them to revive the cultivation of traditional food crops, especially millets, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables, which are nutritious, climate-resilient, and suited to local conditions.
With support, training, and exposure visits from SSP and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), women learned how to plan their crops, select local seeds, and prepare natural fertilizers and bio-inputs using locally available materials. They began by cultivating small plots or farm bunds, and when their families saw the visible results such as increased food availability, reduced expenses on food, and diversified income from agriculture and allied activities, they gained trust and support from male family members.
Gradually, women took the lead in crop planning, input management, and marketing decisions, using both their traditional knowledge and new technical skills. Their contribution not only ensured household food and nutrition security but also demonstrated how women’s leadership can make farming more sustainable and resilient to climate change.
As a result, thousands of women associated with SSP now identify themselves proudly as farmers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, driving a shift in gender norms and strengthening the resilience of their families and villages.
Q. Can you briefly explain how the One-Acre Farming Model works and what kind of impact it has created among women farmers in Maharashtra and Kerala?
A. SSP’s One-Acre Farming Model, under the Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) approach, is built on five core principles: women empowerment in agriculture, food and income security, soil and water conservation, crop diversification, allied businesses, and government linkages. Starting with small food crop plots, women ensure family nutrition and gradually adopt climate-resilient, low-cost, and water-saving practices. The model enhances food security, generates steady income, and reduces climate risks. Over 2 lakh women farmers now practice this model, which has been scaled up in drought-prone districts of Maharashtra, Kerala, and Bihar through partnerships and knowledge sharing with other NGOs.
Q. What changes have you seen in women’s confidence and community status as they transition into farmers, entrepreneurs, and leaders?
A. Over the years, SSP has witnessed a remarkable transformation in women’s confidence, identity, and social status as they transitioned from being seen merely as laborers or homemakers to becoming recognized farmers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.
At the individual level, women have gained confidence through knowledge, skills, and decision-making power in agriculture and livelihood activities. As they began cultivating their own plots and adopting climate-resilient practices, they no longer saw themselves as dependents but as key contributors to their families’ income and food security. This newfound confidence is visible in how they negotiate with traders, access credit, and take independent farming and business decisions.
Within families, there has been a visible shift in gender dynamics. Husbands and other family members now value women’s roles in improving the household economy. Joint decision-making on crop planning, water management and investments has increased. Children see their mothers as role models, creating a generational change in perceptions about women’s capabilities.
At the community level, women’s leadership has redefined local governance and collective action. As trained Sakhis, farmers, and entrepreneurs, women now lead producer groups, manage village water committees, and influence local government institutions. They are consulted in Gram Sabha meetings and represent their communities in dialogues with government departments and banks. Their success stories inspire other women to step forward, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and resilience across villages.
In essence, SSP’s approach has not only enhanced women’s economic independence but also shifted social norms — positioning women as equal partners in development and as catalysts of sustainable change within their families and communities.
Q. What are some examples of how SSP-supported women entrepreneurs are helping their communities become more resilient to climate challenges like droughts or floods?
A. SSP-supported women entrepreneurs and leaders have consistently demonstrated resilience and innovation in responding to disasters and climate challenges such as droughts, floods, and pandemics.
For example, following the Latur earthquake, SSP mobilized rural women for the first time as Samvad Sahayaks — community facilitators who worked alongside civil engineers to support the government’s reconstruction efforts. These women played a crucial role in mobilizing families for safe housing construction through community participation and effective use of government funds.
In flood-prone areas of Bihar, women leaders have been actively involved in setting up early warning systems and conducting community trainings on flood preparedness. Their efforts have helped reduce losses of livestock, protect essential documents, secure food supplies, and ensure access to safe drinking water by raising hand pumps and improving local infrastructure.
During the prolonged droughts of 2012–2015, women from Maharashtra worked tirelessly to find sustainable solutions for drought mitigation and adaptation. Their collective learning and experimentation led to the development of the Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) initiative — a pioneering approach that has since become a model for addressing climate change and promoting food and income security.
The COVID-19 pandemic provided another opportunity for women to demonstrate their leadership and community commitment. SSP-trained women reached over 2.57 million households with COVID prevention measures, supported local panchayats in running migrant camps and quarantine centres, and worked closely with the health department to promote immunization drives.
Most recently, during floods in Marathwada, women once again led community relief efforts — organizing community kitchens, arranging temporary shelters, and supporting affected families with food and essential supplies.
Across these diverse crises, the strongest outcome has been the emergence of confident women leaders who now work hand-in-hand with local panchayats and block officials to ensure that government resources reach the most vulnerable and previously unreached families. Their actions continue to strengthen the resilience and self-reliance of entire communities.
Q. How do you involve the community—especially men, panchayats, and youth—in supporting women-led development?
A. At SSP, we believe that sustainable women-led development can only be achieved when the entire community — including men, panchayat representatives, and youth — actively supports and participates in the process. We see community leaders and family members not as bystanders, but as key stakeholders in women’s empowerment.
To foster this inclusive approach, SSP regularly involves Gram Panchayat members, village leaders, and family members of women participants in community meetings and dialogues. These platforms help create understanding and appreciation of women’s roles, skills, and knowledge, while also building collective ownership of development initiatives.
We organize village-based activities, such as exhibitions, gender fairs, and public dialogues, which give women visibility and recognition for their contributions in farming, entrepreneurship, and community leadership. Such events encourage both men and women to reflect on gender norms and social & cultural barriers to support women.
SSP continuously working on building an enabling ecosystem where institutions actively engage with women and respond to their needs and priorities. This includes strengthening linkages that ensure women’s access to finance, technology, and markets, while also promoting women-friendly panchayats that recognize and support women’s leadership in local governance.
Q. How have government policies and private sector partnerships influenced your work — in both enabling and challenging it?
A. Government policies and private sector partnerships have played a significant role in both enabling and shaping SSP’s work on women-led climate resilience and sustainable development.
On the enabling side, progressive government policies — particularly those promoting women’s participation in agriculture, entrepreneurship, and local governance — have created new opportunities for scaling SSP’s models. Schemes related to livelihoods, water conservation, rural enterprise, and self-help groups have provided critical entry points for collaboration. SSP has successfully linked thousands of women to government programs such as crop insurance, water-saving technologies, and financial inclusion initiatives. Partnerships with district administrations, agricultural departments, and panchayati raj institutions have helped institutionalize women’s leadership within local planning and decision-making processes.
Similarly, partnerships with the private sector have opened up access to markets, finance, and innovative technologies. Collaborations with CSR programs and agri-businesses have supported women entrepreneurs in value addition, processing, and collective marketing. These partnerships have strengthened women’s economic independence and visibility as key players in local economies.
However, there are also challenges. Many policies still do not fully recognize women as farmers, limiting their access to land titles, subsidies, and credit. Bureaucratic processes and fragmented program implementation can make it difficult for women to benefit directly from government schemes. In the private sector, partnerships sometimes focus narrowly on productivity or scale, overlooking the need for capacity building and social empowerment that are central to SSP’s approach.
Despite these challenges, SSP continues to act as a bridge — translating policy intent into action by demonstrating scalable women-led models and advocating for systems that recognize women as equal partners in development and climate resilience.
Q. Can you tell us how collaborations with current partners have helped SSP expand its programs and strengthen outcomes for women?
A. Partnerships have been central to SSP’s ability to scale and sustain its impact. Collaboration with government departments has enabled women to access schemes, training, and resources for farming, water management, and entrepreneurship. Private sector and CSR partnerships have brought in new technologies, finance, and market linkages that strengthened women-led enterprises. Development agencies have supported capacity building and innovation in climate-resilient livelihoods. These collaborations have helped SSP reach more communities, improve program quality, and build strong local institutions.
Q. What are SSP’s key priorities for the next phase — especially in scaling your work to reach more women across India?
A. SSP’s vision for by 20230 is to accelerate women’s economic empowerment and social transformation across India by positioning women as key drivers of climate resilience and community development. Despite progress, gender inequality and limited economic opportunities remain major challenges. SSP aims to bridge this gap by scaling its proven Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) and women entrepreneurship initiatives to reach one million women by 2030, especially in drought-prone districts. Guided by the Swayam Shikshan Prayog process, SSP will continue to promote self-education, peer learning, and leadership development among women, enabling them to unleash their potential, strengthen livelihoods, and lead change in their communities. The focus will be on building strong ecosystems that connect women to finance, technology, and markets, while fostering partnerships that recognize women as equal partners in shaping women led inclusive development.
Q. SSP’s models have inspired similar initiatives across India. How do you see your approach influencing future policies or development frameworks?
A. Over the past five years, SSP’s community-driven models have gained strong recognition and influenced government policy. The Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) model, which promotes women’s leadership in sustainable agriculture and food security, inspired initiatives like the Government of India’s Organic Mission. SSP’s approach of engaging women as community resource persons has been widely adopted across government programs, ensuring women’s voices are central to development. These successes show how practical, women-led solutions can shape inclusive and climate-resilient policies. Going forward, SSP aims to continue leading by example—demonstrating scalable models that bridge grassroots innovation with national policy frameworks.
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