In Chhattisgarh’s tribal region, the village of Deurbael had long struggled with agricultural uncertainty. The land, mostly dependent on rice and corn, was at the mercy of the monsoon. Yields were erratic, incomes marginal, and opportunities scarce. The villagers followed the same cycles for generations, with few viable alternatives.
That began to change in 2018, when researchers and students from Amrita’s Live-in-Labs® program arrived. Instead of introducing prepackaged solutions, the program focused on co-creating practical, context-specific interventions, many of which would later reshape farming practices and the village economy itself.
One of the most impactful initiatives was the introduction of lemongrass farming, a drought-resistant crop with commercial viability and minimal water requirements. For a community long dependent on rain-fed agriculture, this represented more than a new crop, it offered a new framework for resilience.
In partnership with local farmers, Live-in-Labs® piloted the crop on a small scale. Thirty farmers took part in the initial phase. The results quickly validated the approach: yields were consistent, and income from lemongrass oil began to outpace traditional crops. Soon, over 200 acres were under cultivation. A distillation unit, installed in the village itself, enabled farmers to process the oil locally and capture more value from the supply chain. The oil, with its increasing demand both in India and abroad, began generating steady income for the farmers.
Before lemongrass, we didn’t think the land could give us much,” says Mr. Ramesh, a farmer. “Now we earn better, and it feels good to see something growing that helps our families”
In parallel, Live-in-Labs® helped facilitate the formation of eight Self-Help Groups (SHG’s), part of the AMRITASREE initiative, community-driven financial cooperatives composed mostly of women. With access to training, savings mechanisms, and microloans, these women began to take on roles traditionally closed to them. Some became leaders in farm operations. Others handled financial management or logistics. The social structure of the village shifted as women stepped into public and economic life with new confidence.
“The SHG’s weren’t just about money,” said Ms. Kamala. “It gave us a platform to be independent. Earlier, we didn’t step out much or speak up in front of others. Now, we attend meetings, manage money, and support each other. It feels good to be part of something that’s helping our families and the whole village.”
The agricultural transformation also led to a shift in how resources were managed. Deurbael’s farms, once vulnerable to drought, began benefiting from solar-powered irrigation systems, introduced through the Saur Sujala Yojna scheme. Ten farms transitioned to reliable, off-grid irrigation. With that infrastructure in place, farmers diversified further, planting over 1,000 banana saplings, as well as 400 coconut and 200 mango trees. These long-term crops created new income streams and strengthened food security for future generations.
“Deurbael’s evolution illustrates what can happen when communities are not just supported, but empowered,” says Mr. Ghanshyam Upadhyay, Zonal Coordinator, Live-in-Labs®. “It’s not just about introducing a new technique, it’s about unlocking the capacity that’s already there.”
These grassroots efforts not only uplift local lives, but they also directly contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, 1, 5, 7, 8 and 13, contributing to poverty alleviation, gender equality, clean energy, and sustainable agriculture.
The work in Deurbael is ongoing, but its impact is already measurable. Income has stabilised. Migration has slowed. Women are leading. And most importantly, a model now exists that can be adapted and applied to other rural communities across India. What began as an experiment in sustainable farming has become a template for resilience, self-sufficiency, and rural revitalisation.
