The story of Chaitra

Chaitra is the driving force behind the Hombale Community Seed Bank (CSB), a powerful example of women-led rural transformation. For the past two years, the CSB has been providing seeds to over 800 farmers across six villages, with a focus on supporting smallholder and marginalized farmers.  

What makes this initiative remarkable is that it was entirely self-funded by the women themselves. Each member contributed an amount of money to launch the CSB — a symbol of collective strength and determination. Today, alongside seed distribution, Chaitra and her Self Help Group also produce fish tonic fertilizer and compost, adding value and promoting sustainable practices.

Challenges remain but their hard work pays off, they now sell their products to Devdanya, expanding their reach and impact. Their work has even been recognized with awards for their contribution to local agriculture.

Thanks to training from Sahaja Samrudha, four of the women now serve as farm advisors, helping others decide what to plant and when. The group also hosts monthly training sessions for farmers and even donates goats to landless farmers as a way to create income and opportunity.

Chaitra’s leadership shows how women with no formal education can build knowledge, empower communities, and change the future — one seed at a time.