Bibifathima Swa Sahaya Sangha (Bibifathima Self Help Group)

Founded in 2018 in Teertha, Karnataka, India, the Bibi Fatima Self Help Group (SHG) is a women-led grassroots initiative transforming rural livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, women’s empowerment, and climate resilience. Starting as a savings group of 15 women, it now supports over 5,000 farmers across 30 villages, promoting millet-based multi-cropping, solar-powered processing units, and seed banks conserving 250+ indigenous varieties. These efforts restore biodiversity, boost food security, and create jobs for marginalized women and youth. By integrating traditional knowledge with regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, and market access, the SHG addresses environmental and socio-economic challenges. Its decentralized, scalable model, replicated across Indian states, empowers women as agripreneurs and strengthens dryland farming systems. Partnering with groups like SELCO and Devadanya FPC, Bibi Fatima SHG exemplifies how nature-based, community-driven solutions can advance climate action and equity from the ground up.