At 50, Sona Bai stands as a shining example of determination and resilience. A resident of Bamaniya Khedi village in Agar-Malwa district, she owns about 1.5 acres of agricultural land. Supporting a family of five on this small piece of land was always a challenge. Yet, Sona Bai never gave up.

Her journey took a turn when she became actively involved in the Good Farming-Good Food-Good Health programme by Solidaridad. As a member of a local womens self-help group, she began attending community meetings and training sessions organized under the initiative. These interactions opened her eyes to more sustainable and scientific ways of farming.

For years, her family had followed conventional methods – using chemical fertilizers based on the shopkeepers advice, watering crops without checking soil moisture, and sticking to a single crop season after season. The result was low yield and rising input costs. But after engaging with the programme, Sona Bai started adopting better practices.

With guidance from Good Farming- Good Food field teams, she set up a vermi compost unit at home. The shift to using organic fertilizer not only improved the health of her soil but also cut down her expenses on market fertilizers by nearly ₹14,000 annually. In the last kharif season, she planted soybean (JS-2098 variety) on a one-acre demonstration plot. Earlier, she would get 4–5 quintals per acre. This time, she harvested 8 quintals, earning an additional ₹22,000.

She also learned the importance of seed treatment and pest control. For the first time, she treated her seeds with Trichoderma, which protected them from fungal infections and boosted germination. Simple tools like yellow sticky traps and pheromone traps helped control pests naturally. Today, her fields are greener and her crops healthier—thanks to organic practices.

Excited by these results, she began using compost for her vegetable crops as well. Were eating better food at home now—chemical-free and nutritious, she says with a smile. With the profit from soybean, she bought a buffalo for ₹40,000, which now brings in ₹150 a day through milk sales. Her family consumes the rest of the milk.

Earlier, the family left their land fallow during the summer. But with advice from the field team, theyve now started growing seasonal vegetables, turning idle land into income.

Sona Bais story also reflects a growing confidence in decision-making. She now uses mobile advisories to plan irrigation, pest control, and other crop activities. A weather station near her village provides regular updates. Whenever I have doubts, I just give a missed call and get guidance for the entire crop cycle, she says.

In the current rabi season, shes growing wheat (PUSA Hi-8759 Tejas) using only compost and following advisory updates closely. Encouraged by her success, shes taken 4.5 acres of land on lease from relatives to expand farming.

Recognizing her dedication and growth, she has also become a shareholder in the Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) Malwa Mati, formed under the programme. The FPO is helping farmers with seeds and exploring cattle fodder as a new business. The local coordinator, Shri Mukesh Jain, shares, Sona Bai is one of our most active members. We are considering her for a role on the Board of Directors.

From struggling with low yields to becoming a role model in her village, Sona Bai has come a long way. Her story reflects what can happen when knowledge meets courage—and how good farming truly leads to good food and better health.