INDIA – Empowering women farmers in Barabanki through digital access

Uttar Pradesh, India – About three years ago, SEWA Rudi’s journey began in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh, India. At that time, digital tools were still uncommon in rural areas. The SEWA team, together with local agewan (women leaders), started working with women farmers, helping them connect with markets and access better opportunities.

When the program first took shape, the team quickly realized a challenge: most women farmers had little to no experience with digital platforms. Even something as simple as finding the price of their produce meant relying on middlemen. But change was on the horizon. After the COVID-19 pandemic, SEWA began organizing online training sessions, gradually teaching the women how to use their mobile phones to check and calculate crop prices themselves.

A survey conducted soon after revealed deeper issues. Farmers were far behind in accessing the digital world. Many were unaware of government programs, and even if they knew, applications were often closed by the time they found out. Worse still, some who tried to apply were charged unfair fees.

To address these challenges, the SEWA team, with support from the APFP-FO4A program, established the an agro center in Barabanki, the Sewa Shakti Kendra (SSK). Along with it came a dedicated Farmer Assistance Number (9580006642), where the women could call for support. Farmers could also visit the center directly to apply for programs. And when an entire village wanted to apply, SEWA team members would bring a laptop and biometric device to the farmers’ doorstep, helping them register for schemes such as crop insurance, Kisan Credit Cards, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, and more.

The impact has been remarkable. So far, around 800 E-shram cards have been issued, more than 1,000 women have applied for Kisan Samman Nidhi and KYC, 300 for the Prime Minister Vishwakarma scheme, 500 for the Pradhan Mantri Sauri Ghar Yojana, and nearly 1,500 for Kisan Credit Card Crop Insurance.

Today, women farmers no longer need to wander from office to office or depend on middlemen to access what is rightfully theirs. The Sewa Shakti Kendra has become a lifeline, bringing information, opportunity, and empowerment directly to their hands.

The APFP-FO4A program is implemented by the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and La Via Campesina (LVC), with funding support from the European Union (EU) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The program aims to strengthen the capacities of farmers’ organizations to provide economic services, advocate for enabling policies, and promote sustainable livelihoods for small-scale family farmers across Asia.