For ages, farmers in Rasulpur village in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh have faced the predicament of middlemen dictating prices for their produce, leaving them with meagre returns for their hard work. This is the reason the farmers are not able to achieve economic independence. However, this narrative changed dramatically with the advent of the “haat bazaar,” or village market, which not only circumvented the middlemen but also paved the way for fair pricing and prosperity among local farming communities.

“I had to take my produce to the vegetable market at my cost. But once we reach there, it’s up to middlemen or intermediaries to decide the rate for our produce; that is the exact spot where my profits leaked,” said Mr. Pawan Kumar with a worried face. Nearby markets included Badagaon, Pindara, and Haruha, which are 6–14 km away. Hence, farmers had to bear the double whammy of intermediaries and transportation charges. Similarly, a member of a local youth group, Shri Ganesh Yuva Mandal, Mr. Sanjay, expressed that he had to leave his daily wage work one day every week in order to go to the market to get vegetables.

The idea of Haat Bazaar was proposed by the Caritas India Saksham team and village development committee through a series of meetings to inform them of the benefits of having their own village market. It took more than three months to build consensus. The selection of the site was done in consultation with the Sarpanch.

“I supported our farmers, especially women farmers who are producing organic vegetables, so they should get fair prices as compared to chemical farm produce. After getting consensus, we decided to get the necessary permission from government authorities for the selected location of the weekly market,” expressed Mr. Kailash Yadav, Sarpanch of Rasulpur village. With a sense of pride and achievement, he further added, “The location is basically a square, just outside the village boundary, which connects close to other villages. This gives more than seven villages access to the weekly market in Rasulpur.

On February 16, 2023, the weekly market in Rasulpur was inaugurated in the presence of the sarpanch, the block development officer, and community members. “It feels surreal to have a weekly market for farmers produce where they themselves decide the best price of produce. We have decided that the market will function two days a week, i.e., Sunday and Thursday,” said the Sarpanch.

Approximately 25 farmers from seven different villages put their produce up for sale on the day of the inauguration. Interestingly, women farmers sat down on such a platform to sell for the first time in their lives. This included organic vegetables as well as other local varieties of plants and fruits.

This remarkable change was catalysed by the Caritas India Saksham programme, which is committed to improving the livelihood and food security of the local communities. Over the past few years, Saksham has been working tirelessly to empower rural communities by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to build sustainable livelihoods to secure their food.

“I never imagined or considered myself capable enough to sell my vegetables at the market. It made me feel good about myself as I was deciding the selling price of vegetables like tomatoes, Chilli, brinjal, etc.,” said Ms. Swati, a farmer who grows vegetables on her small backyard farm.

“Due to this market, we do not need to go to Pindara market, which is 15km away; hence, we save transportation costs and commissions from intermediaries. On the first day, I made a profit of around 900–1000 from my vegetable sale. I think more people will come here as word-of-mouth publicity is increasing daily,” expressed Ms. Roopmatidevi with satisfaction on her face.

“My son was unemployed; now he sits in the shop and helps me at work. I am happy that he is enjoying and learning fast since the inception of this market,” said his father, Mr. Surendra, with contentment.

The impact of the Haat Bazaar was nothing short of revolutionary. It has had a positive impact on local economies, fostering the growth and prosperity of the communities. Additionally, it has greatly boosted education, healthcare, and infrastructure, thus nurturing the holistic development of the village.