Shantaram is sowing the
seeds of change.

Shantaram lives near our ACG Dahanu facility and heads a family of four members. In the past, he has used traditional farming practices such as paddy cultivation - to earn a livelihood. But this hasn’t always guaranteed him a living and he would have to drive a private vehicle during the off-season for 2-3 months to make ends meet.

Shantaram wanted to improve his situation and so he joined the ACG Cares Foundation’s farm-based livelihood programme which helps farmers to adapt their farming practices and diversify their income. Through this program, he received training in cultivating vegetables and horticulture plantation. The venture proved successful and encouraged him to expand the vegetable cultivation area to approximately 100 square metres, resulting in a substantial increase in income. 

The programme has continued to help Shantaram with further horticultural grafts and training. Remarkably, all the grafts have thrived and survived. Shantaram's cultivation now also includes 20 mango trees, 40 cashew trees and 100 trees. ACG Cares Foundation and our local partner help to provide essential items such as fertiliser, insecticide, vegetable seeds, secateurs and fencing wire.

With success, support and encouragement, Shantaram has felt empowered to change his own future. To further diversify his cultivation and increase his income, he strategically invested in drip irrigation for chilli cultivation and successfully grew bitter gourd, ridge gourd and okra. He has earned ₹25,480 from the ridge and bitter gourds alone in the first season.