BISLD Bihar
Ms. Meena Devi, a smallholder farmer from Lalganj village in Vaishali district, Bihar, was facing declining soil fertility and poor vegetable yields. Her crops showed yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and low productivity, which affected both her family’s nutrition and household income.
Under the Holistic Rural Development Programme (HRDP), supported by HDFC Bank’s Parivartan initiative and implemented by BAIF, she received training on preparing and using Jeevamrut, a low-cost organic bio-input prepared from locally available materials. Jeevamrut helps revitalize soil by increasing microbial activity and improving nutrient availability.
After applying Jeevamrut three times over 45 days on her 3 kattha vegetable plot, Meena Devi noticed visible improvement in crop health and vigor. She harvested around 250 bottle gourds, 30 kg bitter gourd, 40 kg sponge gourd, 12 kg ridge gourd, and 15 kg ivy gourd. Within a week, she earned approximately ₹3,900 from local sales. In addition, part of the produce was consumed by her family, improving nutrition and reducing household expenses. The intervention restored her confidence in sustainable farming and strengthenedher livelihood.
