The Society for Rural Education and Development (SRED) supports Dalit and Tribal women farmer collectives in India to promote food sovereignty and defend their rights to access land. One such collective is the Pallur Dalit Women’s Collective, which began in 2016 when 40 landless Dalit women reclaimed over seven acres of illegally occupied land in their community.
SRED provides training and assistance to this collective in natural farming methods, vermicomposting, and infrastructure development. They have become a model for Dalit women, breaking historical barriers to land ownership and decision-making.
This project by the Agroecology Fund will support three more Dalit women farmers’ collectives, focusing on irrigation, agricultural equipment, bio manure, livestock, and agroecology. These efforts seek to empower marginalized women, challenge discrimination, and increase their presence in political spaces, ultimately improving their livelihoods and status.
