Pooja Mangesh Suryawanshi, a progressive woman farmer from Pardi (Itgaon) in the Parsheoni tehsil of Nagpur district, has been honoured at the national level. She was bestowed with a national award for her outstanding and innovative work in the field of sustainable, regenerative, and eco-friendly cotton cultivation. The honour was presented during a national conference organised under the joint auspices of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) and the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) in New Delhi. Pooja Suryawanshi received this prestigious national recognition at the hands of the Union Minister of Textiles, Giriraj Singh, and the Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita. Suryawanshi did not just adopt modern and organic farming for herself; she has transformed the lives of other farmers and local women as well. Through the Savitribai Self-Help Woman Savings Group, she spearheaded the production and distribution of yellow and blue sticky traps to local farmers.

 

This organic technique successfully controls harmful crop pests without relying on chemical pesticides. As a result, this initiative has reduced dependence on chemical pesticides and lowered overall cultivation costs. It has also promoted organic and sustainable farming practices and protected the environment and preserved soil fertility. Today, Pooja Suryawanshi serves as a mentor to numerous farmers in the region. Alongside educating farmers on modern agricultural practices, she actively inspires rural women to become self-reliant.

 

Under her capable leadership, many farmers in the area have abandoned chemical-heavy farming in favor of eco-friendly practices. Expressing her happiness over the achievement, Pooja Suryawanshi credited her success to the unwavering support of her family, the guidance from Ambuja Foundation’s ‘Uttam Cotton Project’, the capable leadership of Project Location Incharge Vasanta Kathane, and the continuous technical support provided by Field Officer Praful Yewale. Pooja Suryawanshi’s national achievement has not only brought pride to the Parsheoni tehsil and Nagpur district but has also placed a national stamp of approval on Ambuja Foundation’s dedicated efforts toward rural development and agricultural reform.