The document discusses a project in Rajasthan, India that aimed to empower vulnerable farmers through education and organization. Over 75% of the workforce in Rajasthan depends on agriculture for livelihood. Farmers were often exploited by suppliers and buyers. The project partnered local farmers' groups with an NGO to provide training in business, administration, and finance. Empowered groups negotiated better prices for supplies and crop yields. Additional benefits included access to credit, savings, and sustainable farming techniques. Initial surveys show the farmers are more self-sufficient and able to better cope with environmental challenges.

1. Basic Rights for Rural Farmers in Rajasthan, India August, 2011

2. “ And it is only in that broader framework of sustainable development that we can address climate change, international peace and security and the needs of all our citizens.” - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, June 2011

3. In his recent speech to the World Trade Organization , UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon , declared sustainability as a top priority . Of note were Ban’s formal remarks on lifting people out of poverty while minimizing harm to nature. With more than 15 years working at the grassroots level to advance sustainable development, FSD intimately understands the havoc that climate change wreaks on the world’s most vulnerable populations. But you have helped change this reality for hundreds of people . Here is just one example.

4. In Rajasthan, India, over 75% of the workforce earn a living through agriculture. Environmental degradation has caused mass migration, seasonal drought, and severe food shortages.

5. Vulnerable farmers—many of whom are uneducated and illiterate—are often exploited by suppliers who illegally inflate prices for agricultural essentials like fertilizer and seeds.

6. Buyers of the famers’ products also take advantage of them by offering below market prices for their crops.

7. In response, FSD collaborated with our local partner NGO, ACCESS Development Services, to organize disenfranchised farmers and develop a more manageable and equitable system.

8. The farmers formed into groups and went through a series of trainings focused on small business development, administration, and financial literacy.

9. In the project’s final phase, each group transferred their new knowledge to the farmers they represent.

10. Initial evaluation surveys show that prices have already improved for both agricultural supplies and crop yields. Additional benefits have included access to credit, savings groups, and technical training in sustainable agricultural techniques.

11. Today, we are seeing a more empowered member base moving towards total self-sufficiency and improving the health of their land, preparing farming communities to react in the face of natural disasters and climate change.

12. www.fsdinternational.org