Yowa Mary loves to see her crops flourishing by adding compost, something she learned from FARM Northeast II programme. She had started growing different vegetables like pumpkin, chili, ladies finger etc. in her field.

A marginalized farmer from Nyishi ethnic group from Rutap village in the newly declared Kamle district of Arunachal Pradesh, she hardly had a good income from her farms and almost surrendered herself to the situation.

Concerned about her future as a farmer, she attended different programmes and training under the banner of FARM Northeast II programme conducted by Itanagar Diocesan Empowerment Association (IDEA).

Women farmers in India do most of the farming activities, yet their access to resources and their contribution is not visible. The second phase of FARM Northeast programme focusing on the people led development movement where men and women will be equally responsible in reflection and in the decision-making process.

Therefore, the programme strongly believes in the inclusion of women in every activity.

Mary associated herself with IDEA since 2007 by attending and learning as much as she could on the aspects of agriculture and health. She had become an active member of one of the SHGs.

Mary just didn’t stop there, she started applying her learning from the technical training of FARM I and FARM II in her fields. The exposure trips under FARM Northeast program at Assam, Meghalaya, and Kerala had opened her thoughts to next horizons.

Mary started selling her products in the market to earn returns for the first time ever. Her earnings from soybean went up to staggering Rs. 75,000 in 2016 from Rs. 40,000 in 2013.

“I could not believe that a little difference made in my fields could bring such a change”, she says. She wants to spend this money to lead a good life and educating her children.

Mary enjoys sharing her story of growth and development with her village people. Her testimony has inspired many in her own and other villages.

FARM Northeast II field coordinator Sanjit Basumatary shares that in this part of Arunachal Pradesh, farmers are growing pure indigenous seeds and lead farmers like Mary are the leaders in conserving such rich resources without any compromise.