From child bride to award winner, Rajasthan farmer breaks barriers

Sagar Kunwar of Pali district in Rajasthan has come a long way from working as a typical woman farmer to rising as the chairperson of a producer company. She recounts her journey – in her own words.  

Married off as a 16-year-old, my life was confined to my home and hearth, taking care of my children, tending to our livestock and assisting my husband on our farm. 

I had never ventured beyond the periphery of my village in Pali district.

But that changed in 2016 when I enrolled as the first member of the Asha Mahila Milk Producer Company.  

You know how personal circumstances can change us. It was the same for me. I needed to make ends meet. So I decided to step out of the confines of my home to look for opportunities.

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I got the job of a bookkeeper at Asha Mahila Milk Producer Company in 2016.

When I started, I faced a lot of challenges. People in the neighbourhood disapproved of a woman stepping out of the house to take up a job. 

But I took my work seriously. Soon I became an expert in extracting waste from the gobar (cow dung) gas production unit and getting organic manure for large-scale farming in our district. 

I then became the chairperson of an agricultural self-help group. Working on our farm has given me the expertise in farming and animal husbandry, helping me support other women in their work.

And I am happy to say that many of my detractors have turned around.

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My job at the milk producer company got me Rs 10,000 a month. This income helped me educate my children.

My daughter is now studying philosophy at Azim Premji University in Bengaluru and my son is enrolled in class XI at a local government school. 

My work as the chairperson of Samriddhi Agriculture Producer Company – an all-woman company of 400 members – is voluntary. But I take my designation lightly because I consider all the members as equal. 

I am very serious about promoting the right values within the agricultural community.

I feel it’s more important to work for the cause of organic farming because pesticides do a lot of harm to the ecology and our health.

Also Read: Women adopt organic farming to transform a Karnataka village

Taking the high road isn’t always easy. Promoting organic farming has been challenging. But it’s also rewarding to see how the community and environment benefit from our efforts.

My hard work is getting me accolades too. 

In September 2023, DD Kisan honoured me in a ceremony in New Delhi. 

In January 2024, I received the CII’s FPO Excellence Award for the work of my organisation – producing gas from cow dung and manure for farmers.

My message to all the women farmers of India is that it’s important to align yourself with a bigger cause. 

Seeing my work, I hope women farmers develop the courage to be community stalwarts. In Rajasthan, for example, the agricultural sector is mostly run by women. By stepping up, we can make a difference.

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