Sangitaben: A Smart Farming Pioneer

In a small village in Gujarat, India, lives small-hold farmer Sangitaben Rathod. Agriculture is crucial for the livelihoods of people in the area; however, the effects of climate change and water stress have had a significant impact on farmers. 

Previously, Sangitaben’s father was the one to manage the farm, but when he suddenly fell ill, the responsibility fell on Sangitaben to take over the daily work. During this time, she relied on an electric pump to withdraw water and irrigate her land, which made her heavily dependent on electricity. However, as her farm was located on the outskirts of the electricity grid, access to power was unreliable. Sometimes, electricity would turn on in the middle of the night, forcing Sangitaben to venture out in the dark to withdraw water, risking potential dangers she couldn’t see.

The first time Sangitaben heard about Spowdi’s Smart Farming system was through Spowdi’s partner SEWA, Self-Employed Women’s Association, in India. The decision to be one of the first farmers in India to try the Smart Farming system wasn’t easy as it could have a significant impact on her harvest and, by extension, her family’s livelihood.

It proved to be a decision that indeed transformed their livelihood—not for the worse, but by making her farming practices more sustainable, resilient and profitable. Sangitaben’s crops became healthier, with better protection against weeds and pests, and her water usage decreased significantly. She also began experimenting with other ways to make her farmwork easier using the system. For example, she saved time by distributing fertiliser along with the irrigation water, eliminating the labour-intensive task of spreading it by hand across the field. Sangitaben recently acquired an extension kit to her Spowdi Mobile Pro MKII, enabling her to further expand her Smart Farming journey.