“Surekhabai’s Blossoming Victory: From Landless to Lush, A Poison-Free Backyard Garden Flourishes!”
Surekha Ambadas Gaikwad, from a landless Scheduled Caste family in Babulgaon Dist. Nanded, has showcased tremendous resilience and resourcefulness in cultivating a poison-free garden in front of her house. The family, dependent on wage labor, faced the challenge of limited resources and water scarcity.
The initiative began with the organization workers encouraging Surekhabai to plant a few Brinjal and Tomato plants in front of her house. Recognizing the potential for backyard gardening, they advised her to grow a variety of vegetables. Although she expressed concern about water availability, the organization workers enlightened her about utilizing waste water and tap water for cultivation.
Through the JIVA project, Surekhabai gained access to seeds for various vegetable crops such as Chilli, Brinjal, Tomato, Radish, Spinach, Fenugreek, and Coriander. With the guidance provided by the SSM organization workers, she successfully planted and nurtured these vegetables using organic inputs like Ghanjeevamrit, Jeevamrit, Neem extract, and Brahmastra extract sour buttermilk.
Surekhabai’s hands-on experience in creating natural inputs empowered her to cultivate a beautiful garden. The family ingeniously used an old saree as a fence for the vegetable plants. The result of their efforts is a thriving garden that produces fresh, toxin-free vegetables.
Before adopting this approach, the family used to spend Rs. 300 to Rs. 400 per month on buying vegetables. The rise in vegetable prices during inflation sometimes led them to avoid purchasing vegetables altogether. However, with their homegrown produce, they have not bought vegetables from the market for the past 25 days. This not only saved them money but also provided a sustainable source of toxin-free vegetables for their daily diet.
Surekhabai’s determination and ingenuity have not only reduced the family’s expenditure on vegetables but also ensured that they consume poison-free, fresh produce regularly. The village community recognizes and appreciates her efforts in utilizing open space creatively to cultivate a poison-free garden despite facing agricultural challenges. Thanks to Surekhabai’s perseverance, her family now enjoys the benefits of toxin-free vegetables from their backyard for two months, marking a significant achievement in sustainable and self-sufficient living.