Around thirty-five farmers working with Sambhaav on organic farming came together for a regional farmers’ sammelan in Taalaab, Rajgarh. The gathering brought different generations of farmers into the same space, alongside government officials, creating room for collective listening, disagreement, and shared experiences and learning. More than a meeting, it became a place to speak openly about fears, failures, and small successes that rarely find space in formal settings.
Among the voices was Bhairu Shah, a farmer from Rajgarh, who spoke about the relief he feels today knowing that what he sells is at least good food. He spoke plainly about how pesticide-laden produce leads to illness and cancer, and about his own journey away from chemicals. Even earlier, he said, he could not afford urea and DAP in large quantities, which led him to stop using DAP altogether and apply only small amounts of urea when unavoidable. The real shift, he shared, came two years ago when he connected with Sambhaav and began learning about organic alternatives that could replace chemical inputs.
Bhairu Shah cultivates four bighas in his own name, but with a smile added that he now farms nearly ten bighas in practice—a quiet indication of growing confidence and trust. His story resonated with many in the room, especially newer farmers still weighing risk against belief.
Sambhaav’s work with farmers unfolds in layers—first initiating conversations about organic farming, then taking farmers on exposure visits, followed by close, season-long engagement on individual farms, and finally bringing everyone together through regional meets like this one. These sammelans allow farmers to learn not only from experts, but from each other.
Seven to eight women farmers were present at the meeting. While they did not speak, their presence itself reflected a slow, unfinished shift. Traditional hierarchies and silences remain, but the space is beginning to open.
The photographs from this gathering capture more than faces—they hold a moment of collective pause, where farming becomes less about individual struggle and more about shared direction.
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