The Women Who Made the Forests Return and Let the Soil Breathe

By: Lijalin Moharana, Regional Facilitator, Odisha

There are stories that grow like seeds – quietly, patiently, and beneath the surface. They take time to blossom, but when they do, they remind us of what human will, ecological wisdom, and collective care can achieve.

In the tribal village of Jhimkiguda, under Pakjhola Gram Panchayat, Semiliguda Block, Koraput District, Odisha, one such story took root decades ago. A group of newly married women, arriving with hope, were met not with bounty but with a barren hill and skies that refused to rain.

“We had grown up in green villages, surrounded by forests. But here, it was dry and bare. Even clouds would come to our borders and turn away,” recalls Birma Jani, 68, an active member of the Gupteswar Producer Group.

John Doe

For a community deeply connected to forest culture and livelihoods, this was more than a climatic hardship; it was a spiritual absence. But the women of Jhimkiguda did not wait for help. They started with what they had: determination and a vision to bring back the forest.

They collected seeds from nearby forests, saved seeds from fruits they consumed, and began planting. “When our fathers and brothers visited from our native villages, we asked them to bring seeds,” they recall. With no fencing or compensation, they took turns guarding saplings and explained their purpose to neighbours and families. Over time, the forest regenerated.

And then the rains returned too.

Today, the regenerated forest is alive with Paradise-tree (Simarouba glauca), Siali (Bauhinia vahlii), Sal (Shorea robusta), Indian Gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica), Malabar Plum (Syzygium cumini), Guava (Psidium guajava), Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), Indian beech (Pongamia pinnata), Mango (Mangifera indica), Agasti (Sesbania grandiflora), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and Bamboo (Bambusa), etc.

When the APC Came, the Foundation was Already in Place

When the Agriculture Production Cluster (APC) program was launched in 2018, BRLF supported the program across 40 blocks of Odisha in collaboration with 14 CSO partners and the Government of Odisha.

When the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) introduced the Agriculture Production Cluster (APC) program in Jhimkiguda, they found a village already steeped in ecological values. The APC program promotes diversified cropping, organic practices, and community-managed production systems. In Jhimkiguda, these ideas found instant resonance.

“We knew what the forest gave us. So, we decided, if we grow vegetables, let them be 100% organic,” says Birma Jani, 55. It wasn’t a market driven decision, it was for their responsibility towards their children and grandchildren.

55 active members organised into six SHGs and eventually became members of the Gupteswar Producer Group, from the village. With guidance from APC field facilitators, they began preparing natural inputs such as Jeevamrit and Brijamrit for soil enrichment and Nimastra and Agneyastra for pest control

“We didn’t spend a rupee. Everything was available to us from our village,” they proudly say. With rising demand from nearby villages, they now plan to produce and sell these inputs in bulk.

Organic Cultivation in Numbers (FY 2024–25):

Crop	Area (acres)	Sold (kg)	Revenue (INR)
Chilli	12	17,113	₹4,39,030
Ginger	15	15,621	₹3,09,608
Sweet Potato	8	25,765	₹5,66,830

Input costs dropped significantly as all materials were sourced locally. Farmers observed notable improvements in soil health, including better moisture retention, richer texture, and increased earthworm activity. The vegetables grown using this method tasted better, stayed fresh longer, and fetched higher prices in the market.

What began as forest regeneration has evolved into a powerful movement for ecological farming and food sovereignty. Today, these women are not just cultivators; they are community leaders. With the tools, training, and structure APC provides, they recently claimed Community Forest Rights (CFR) under the Forest Rights Act (FRA).

This World Environment Day, BRLF salutes the women of Jhimkiguda for teaching us that when land is healed with love, it gives back with abundance for generations to come.