Bio-Input Resource Centre powers Self-Help Women Group-led regenerative farming

In India, farmers have long struggled with declining soil health, declining or stagnant productivity and rising costs of chemical inputs. While interest in regenerative and natural farming is growing both from policy perspectives to reduce the costs of inorganic fertilisers as well as through farmers seeking better and cost-effective alternatives, access to reliable and affordable alternate inputs is still very limited. The Government of India’s National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) provides the policy framework to address this challenge. With a proposed outlay of 24.81 million rupees, the Mission aims to transition 0.75 million hectares of land under natural farming across 15,000 clusters, set up 10,000 need-based Bio-Input Resource Centres (BRCs) for easy access to bio-inputs, and raise awareness among ten million farmers on chemical-free cultivation. By blending traditional local knowledge with scientifically derived practices, NMNF fosters a decentralised, farmer-led learning ecosystem supported by on-farm demonstrations, training, and continuous handholding.

Within this national framework, in Jhanda Tola village, in the Mohgaon block of Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh farmers have been innovative and established a practical solution that is based on locally available bioresources. A fully automated Bio-Input Resource Centre (BRC) has been established in collaboration with the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM). Based on the principle of circularity of local bioresources to improve soil health, this BRC recycles and reuses the animal waste, primarily the cow urine as a source of nutrients for agriculture. Located next to a cowshed constructed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the centre brings together different public schemes to support climate-resilient agriculture at village level.

Women at the centre of the enterprise

The BRC in Jhanda Tola village is managed by twelve women from the Shakti Self-Help Group (SHG). What began as a livelihood opportunity has gradually evolved into a structured rural enterprise. For the women involved, the shift has been significant. They are no longer only members of a savings group; they are producers, trainers and enterprise managers. They maintain production schedules, manage accounts and coordinate with farmers. “We used to depend on others for inputs. Now, farmers come to us,” one member reflected during a training session. Today, that shift represents more than just access to bio-inputs – it marks the women’s transformation from passive recipients to trusted providers, shaping agricultural practices in their villages.

Their work does not stop at production. The group regularly conduct awareness meetings at SHG level, encouraging other women farmers to test bio-inputs on small plots before expanding their use. This peer-to-peer approach has built trust and accelerated adoption.

Over a hundred farmers across eight villages are now using locally produced bio-inputs, which has reduced dependency on external inorganic inputs and hence lowered production costs. All this has been achieved through a single village-level Bio-Input Resource Centre. What began as a modest initiative is now demonstrating that regenerative agriculture can be practical, profitable and locally managed.

SHG women preparing bio-inputs. Photo: PRADAN

Financial performance of the input centre

The SHG managing the bio-input centre has been able to produce up to 8,000 litres per month. Out of this, 7,200 litres were sold at 10 rupees per litre. So far, this has generated revenue of 72,000 rupees (~700 euros) and a net income of 42,300 rupees (~400 euros) over five production cycles. The majority of the income is being reinvested into the enterprise to strengthen working capital and support future production. A small portion of the profit is distributed equally among the group members as an incentive for their efforts.

Impact and adoption

In the beginning, the idea of running a bio-input centre felt almost impossible. However, with consistent effort and strategic partnership with Agriculture community resources persons (CRPs), the SHG integrated the use of BRC into local crop planning. This led to wider acceptance and adoption among farmers in the village. Around 100 farmers are already using the product on crops such as paddy and pulses. For many of them, the centre represents the first dependable local source of natural farming inputs. Today, the group proudly sees itself as entrepreneurs. The women who run the centre no longer identify only as women farmers; they now call themselves women entrepreneurs. As one of the members shared, they had never imagined that they would be able to manage a production unit and encourage villagers to adopt bio-inputs at this scale.

BRC entrepreneurs showcasing the bio-inputs prepared by them in BRC.
Photo: PRADAN

Automation that supports adoption

The bio-input produced from the automated unit undergoes multi-stage filtration and standardised processing, significantly improving consistency, potency, and field usability.

1. Production workflow: Raw materials – including cow dung, crop residues and local microbial cultures – are procured according to a monthly plan aligned with cropping seasons. Fermentation and bio-input preparation follow defined protocols, with temperature, pH and aeration monitored at each stage to optimise microbial activity and product efficacy.
2. Quality assurance: Multi-stage filtration and standardised dosing protocols ensure homogeneity. Samples are periodically tested for microbial counts and nutrient composition, and any deviations trigger corrective action
3. Inventory and record-keeping: Stock levels, batch numbers and distribution schedules are meticulously documented. The SHG maintains digital and physical records of production, sales and raw material consumption, facilitating transparency and accountability.
4. Outreach and application support: The women coordinate logistics for distribution across seven to eight villages and provide guidance on crop-specific usage. SHG-level training sessions reinforce proper handling, while farmers’ feedback informs subsequent production cycles.

By simplifying production and application, the BRC lowers one of the main barriers to regenerative farming: uncertainty. Farmers can experiment on part of their land without taking excessive risks, while the standardised product ensures consistent results and ease of use – particularly for women managing both farm and household responsibilities.

More than an input centre

The Bio-Input Resource Centre in Jhanda Tola (or hamlet) is more than a production unit. It represents a shift in how climate resilience, public programmes and women’s collectives can intersect. By combining policy support and grassroots leadership, the centre demonstrates that regenerative agriculture is not only about changing farming practices. It is also about building local systems that reduce dependency, create income and strengthen rural confidence. In Mandla, soil restoration is going hand in hand with women’s economic empowerment – and that may be the most resilient outcome of all.

Linking village enterprise with national ambition

Beyond infrastructure, the women entrepreneurs received structured support under the Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions (CORE) programme, part of the Fund for the Promotion of Innovation in Agriculture (i4Ag). The Indo-German cooperation project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, with UN Women as a consortium partner. Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN) supports grassroots mobilisation and capacity building.

Through project training in marketing, institutional linkages and business planning, the women strengthened their ability to position the BRC as a viable enterprise rather than a subsidy-driven activity.

The experience in a small village in Mandla shows that regenerative agriculture essentially needs quality alternate inputs as well as local ownership, reliable supply systems and confidence at farm level. By placing women at the centre of climate-resilient agriculture, the Mandla BRC demonstrates that sustainability and economic empowerment can reinforce one another. What began as a small village enterprise is steadily becoming part of a wider ecosystem of natural farming support. With the right mix of policy backing, technical innovation and community leadership, regenerative farming can move from concept to everyday practice – not as a pilot, but as a locally anchored replicable rural enterprise model.

Navin Vivek Horo is Project Lead (DV), Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions (CORE), i4Ag at GIZ India, working on climate-resilient agriculture with a focus on enhancing rural livelihoods, promoting youth engagement and supporting sustainable value chains in India.

Amarpreet Kaur is a Junior Knowledge Management Advisor, Soil Matters at GIZ India, supporting communications and knowledge sharing in sustainable agriculture initiatives.
Contact: amarpreet.kaur(at)giz.de

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Press Note Details: Press Information Bureau