Leading by Example

"We will teach newcomers what we have learned. So that they can move forward like us." - Shahanur Islam Meet Shahanur Islam from Ram Hari sar village in the Goalpara district of Assam, India. Shahanur is a true community leader—he runs his own poultry hatchery, works as a Field CRP with the Ajgar Social Circle NGO, and serves as an ERA (Entrepreneur for Rural Access).

By hosting village meetings and screening agricultural training videos, Shahanur has sparked a wave of positive change among local farmers, helping them shift away from chemical fertilizers and adopt highly effective, natural farming methods. Key Impacts & Success Stories:

• Healthier Poultry: Farmers transitioned from raising free-roaming, unvaccinated chickens to keeping them safely housed and vaccinated. Shahanur taught them vital brooding techniques and a clever trick of placing bamboo poles inside the coops, giving the chickens a place to escape and drastically reducing infighting and mortality rates.

• Thriving Fisheries: Local fish farmers learned how to cultivate living organisms in their ponds for natural fish food and began adding lime to improve water quality. They also replaced large, dense shade trees along the pond banks with smaller, profitable trees like bay leaf and betelnut. This allows essential sunlight to reach the water, boosting oxygen for the fish while providing farmers with an extra source of income.

• Modern Pig Farming: Instead of letting pigs roam in the open, farmers learned to build proper, hygienic pens. These new structures feature paved floors, rice husk bedding, two-foot boundaries, and are strategically designed to allow adequate sunlight and shade. Farmers also learned how to sustainably convert pig waste into valuable fertilizer for their crops.

Through this initiative, Shahanur has not only expanded his own business and earned income from video screenings, but he has also empowered his entire community. He is deeply committed to mentoring newcomers and promoting sustainable farming enterprises!

A special thank you to the GIZ SuATI Project and Access Agriculture for providing these transformative videos and the opportunity to be an ERA!