Analyzing problems and opportunities

She leads by example

Lata bai – Member, Kalbherav Watershed Development Committee, Maharashtra

• She is the first farmer in the project to construct a farm pond in her field. She motivates other farmers to do the same.
• She played an active part in watershed interventions, especially selecting sites for check dams and taking part in the construction. 
• She does not hesitate to raise issues of concern and asks for interventions at the right time.
• She is always ready to try new technologies.

A social health activist and model farmer

Sujathamma – Member Watershed Committee, Muduvatti, Karnataka

• Villagers respect her leadership in the agricultural community especially with regard to diversifying farm activities. She cultivates finger millet and uses part of the land for a mango plantation. She maintains livestock for additional income.
• She is an accredited social health worker and also a member
  of the village Self-Help Group.

Four wells were on her ‘to do’ list

Geeta Bai – Member, Model Watershed Committee, Siyalwada, Madhya Pradesh

• Joining the watershed committee gave this tribal woman of poor socio-economic status the courage to overcome male dominance and caste dynamics.
• In 2014, she contested elections to the local self-government. She was elected as a member andshe raised the proposals of tribal families under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act for digging wells.
• As a member of the watershed committee, she raised four proposals for water storage structures in her village and took responsibility for their completion.