For over 15 years, Sujata Pradhan has worked tirelessly in her fields, coaxing life out of the soil to sustain her family. Her modest farm in the Tigiria block of Odisha’s Cuttack district yields paddy and vegetables, crops that have been the cornerstone of her family’s livelihood. But for farmers like Sujata, life is precariously tied to the whims of nature. 

Floods and droughts—unseasonal and unforgiving—have tested Sujata’s resilience time and again. The destruction of her crops would often leave her without an income, forcing her to juggle household expenses and farm maintenance under the weight of financial strain. “Every season felt like a gamble,” Sujata says, her voice steady but tinged with the memory of hardship. 

In 2017, Sujata heard about the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), a crop insurance scheme designed to shield farmers from the financial impact of natural disasters. With encouragement from local authorities and a straightforward enrolment process at her village bank, she insured her crops for the first time during the Kharif (summer planting) season. 

The decision would prove transformative. 

In the Kharif season of 2022, torrential rains swept through her village, submerging her paddy fields and destroying months of labour. “Seeing my fields underwater was like watching my hopes drown,” Sujata recalls. Yet, unlike previous years, when such devastation meant financial ruin, this time Sujata had a safety net. 

Under PMFBY, she received compensation of ₹22,235.84 (approx. USD 264)— a sum that arrived when she needed it most. The compensation was more than a financial reprieve; it was a chance to rebuild. Sujata reinvested the funds into her farm, repairing the damage and ensuring the next planting season could proceed without delay. The insurance not only stabilized her income but also alleviated the chronic stress of living season to season. 

“With that money, I didn’t just save my crops; I saved my family’s future,” Sujata says. Freed from the immediate worry of financial survival, she turned her attention to her children’s education and began planning the next steps for her farm. 

For the first time, Sujata allowed herself to think beyond survival. She began exploring new crops and considering ways to diversify her income, dreams that once seemed impossible. The stability provided by PMFBY empowered her to envision a future of growth rather than one defined by loss. 

Her transformation has not gone unnoticed in her community. Sujata has become an advocate for crop insurance, encouraging other farmers to enrol in the scheme. “This isn’t just about money,” she explains. “It’s about hope, about knowing that when disaster strikes, you won’t be left alone to pick up the pieces.” 

Sujata’s story is a testament to the profound impact of access—access to financial tools, safety nets, and systems that recognize the realities of farming in a changing climate. Schemes like PMFBY have proven to be more than policy interventions; they are lifelines that enable women like Sujata to rise above adversity and thrive. 

Her journey underscores a critical truth: when women have access to resources, they not only sustain their livelihoods but also strengthen their communities and contribute to the broader economy. 

As Sujata stands on her land, surveying her fields, she carries a quiet optimism. “The rains may come again, but now I know we can recover,” she says. With each season, Sujata is cultivating more than crops—she is cultivating resilience, stability, and a brighter future for her family.