Ms Kalarani, a farmer from Alathuranpatti, Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, India, and mother of two, juggles multiple responsibilities. She credits COL’s Lifelong Learning for Farmers (L3F) programme for helping her significantly improve her livelihood.

Since 2015, she has been a shareholder in Reddiarchatram Sustainable Agriculture Producer Company Limited (RESAPCOL), a farmers producer company that provides for sharing of profits among its members. Via RESAPCOL, Ms Kalarani has benefited from L3F’s blended learning approach aimed to promote good agricultural practices. In-person training and regular mobile voice messages helped her acquire relevant and timely knowledge of sustainable farming practices.

According to Ms Kalarani, in the last season she managed to increase the yield of Okra, one of her key crops, reduce the use of inorganic chemicals and improve soil status.

Premised on the belief that an effective linkage of human, social and financial capital leads to spiraling in a self-sustaining process, L3F has reached over 300,000 men and women in marginalised communities, empowering them to achieve more productive and sustainable livelihoods.

“Ms Kalarani is a great example of L3F at work. This is not just a COL project, but a triple-win framework, which contributes to greater food security, increased income and conserved environment- all through blended learning and lending,” noted Dr Moses Tenywa, Education Specialist: Agriculture and Livelihoods.