“Lasting innovation often starts at the grassroots — with farmers, women, and local communities shaping the future of food and ecology.” — UNDP Equator Initiative
The Bibi Fatima Women’s Self-Help Group (SHG) from Teertha village, Kundgol taluk, Dharwad district, Karnataka, has won the UNDP Equator Prize 2025. Often called the “Nobel Prize for Biodiversity Conservation,” this prestigious award recognizes the group’s remarkable work in eco-friendly farming, biodiversity protection, millet revival, and women-led rural enterprises.
Announced on August 9, 2025 — the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples — the award places this rural Karnataka SHG among ten global grassroots champions driving sustainable development and climate action.
🏆 About the UNDP Equator Prize
The UNDP Equator Prize is a prestigious global recognition for grassroots innovation in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. It honors local communities offering nature-based solutions to climate change and development challenges.
Key details about the 2025 edition:
- Presenter: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Theme 2025: “Women and Youth Leadership for Nature-Based Climate Action”
- Scale: Nearly 700 nominations from 103 countries worldwide
- Winners: Ten communities from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and Tanzania
- Prize: $10,000 and international recognition
Think of the Equator Prize as the “Nobel Prize for Grassroots Biodiversity Conservation.” Just as Nobel Prizes recognize breakthrough scientific discoveries, the Equator Prize celebrates communities that develop innovative, nature-based solutions to protect our planet — all while improving local livelihoods.
👩🌾 The Journey of Bibi Fatima SHG
Formed in 2018 by 15 women in Teertha village, the Bibi Fatima SHG began with a simple goal: improving livelihoods through sustainable farming. Over seven years, it transformed into a leader in eco-friendly agriculture, seed conservation, and rural enterprise.
The group received crucial mentoring from Sahaja Samruddha, an organization promoting seed diversity and organic farming. This partnership laid the foundation for their remarkable achievements.
Key Pattern: 15 women in 2018 → 7 years of work → Global recognition in 2025. Remember: “15-7-25” (15 founders, 7 years, 2025 award).
✨ Key Achievements of the Group
The Bibi Fatima SHG’s achievements span four key areas that made them worthy of global recognition:
| Achievement Area | What They Did | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Eco-Friendly Farming | Organic fertilizers, natural pest control, mixed cropping | Reduced costs, improved drought resilience |
| Seed Banking | Created community seed bank for traditional varieties | Preserved biodiversity, reduced hybrid dependency |
| Millet Promotion | Revived millets as “nutri-cereals” with solar processing | Value-added products, increased income |
| Rural Enterprise | Market linkages through Devadhanya FPC | Urban market access, sustainable livelihoods |
The SHG’s success shows how combining traditional knowledge (indigenous seeds, millets) with modern technology (solar processing, digital markets) creates a powerful model for sustainable development. This is the essence of “appropriate technology” — using the right tools for local contexts.
🤝 Role of Partnerships in Scaling Work
The SHG’s remarkable growth was powered by strategic partnerships that provided science, technology, and market support:
- Sahaja Samruddha: Mentoring in organic farming and seed diversity
- Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR): Technical support for millet promotion
- CROPS4HD: Crop diversity research for nutrition
- Selco Foundation: Solar-powered millet processing units
- Devadhanya Farmer Producer Company: Rural enterprise development and market access
This collaborative model demonstrates how grassroots leadership, combined with support from NGOs, research institutes, and renewable energy providers, can build sustainable, scalable enterprises.
Don’t confuse: IIMR (Indian Institute of Millets Research) with ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research). IIMR is specifically focused on millets and is headquartered in Hyderabad. For exam purposes, remember IIMR = Millets.
🌍 National & Global Significance
The award carries multiple layers of significance for India and the world:
- Millet Movement Alignment: Supports India’s push for millet-based nutrition, especially after the International Year of Millets 2023
- Women Entrepreneurship: Validates women as conservation leaders and rural entrepreneurs
- Climate Solutions: Demonstrates local eco-friendly models that address climate change
- SDG Alignment: Contributes to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (2, 5, 13, 15)
- Global Voice: Positions India as a leader in grassroots climate solutions
This case study connects to broader themes: women’s empowerment, sustainable agriculture, climate action, and rural enterprise. Use it to discuss how “bottom-up” development models can complement “top-down” government policies for inclusive growth.
⚡ Challenges & Future Plans
Despite their success, the SHG faces ongoing challenges:
- Limited access to premium urban markets
- Erratic rainfall and climate risks in rainfed farming
- Financial hurdles in scaling processing and branding
- Lack of visibility in policy discussions
The $10,000 prize and global recognition will help address these barriers. Looking ahead, the SHG plans to:
- Expand millet-based product lines
- Extend seed bank operations to more villages
- Train other women’s groups in sustainable practices
- Strengthen digital market linkages
- Install more solar units to scale production sustainably
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The Bibi Fatima SHG is located in Teertha village, Kundgol taluk, Dharwad district, Karnataka.
The theme for Equator Prize 2025 was “Women and Youth Leadership for Nature-Based Climate Action.”
The Bibi Fatima SHG was formed in 2018 by 15 women from Teertha village.
The Selco Foundation provided solar-powered millet processing units to the SHG, enabling them to add value to their produce sustainably.
The UNDP Equator Prize 2025 was announced on August 9, 2025 — the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
