Momee Pegu (34) from Majuli, a river island in Brahmaputra River, Assam, had never aspired to become a farmer, despite the fact that she belonged to a family that practised the profession. She says she was aware of the sheer hard work the field demands, and always thought farming reaped fewer results.
Instead, she pursued a masters in social work. Coincidently, the course took her towards organic farming, as part of extra-curricular activity. But this, she says, changed her perception, allowing her to see how farming can address health, environment and sustainability-related concerns of a village.
“I undertook training from Samir Bordoloi, an expert in organic and sustainable agriculture, and learned how to start small and scale up farming practices. It gave me a different insight into farming and its importance. To take sustainable practices to the masses, I began organic farming in 2009, and launched an NGO, RIGBO, in 2015, which is the name of the local tribe means community…