ACC Empowers Rural Women in Karnataka through Kitchen Garden Intervention Program

ACC, the cement and building material company of the diversified Adani Group, as a part of CSR initiative, continue to make significant strides in improving the livelihoods of rural communities through its Kitchen Garden Program. One such success story emerges from Kudithini Village, Bellary district of Karnataka. Here, Sarojamma has become testament to the transformative power of Self-Help Groups and kitchen gardens in changing lives.

ACC through the Kitchen Garden Intervention Program aims to build the foundations of sustainable homes and also nurturing the growth of self-reliant communities. By partnering with Self-Help Groups and providing essential resources, ACC and Adani Foundation empowers the women to cultivate flourishing kitchen gardens. These gardens help enrich their diets and also cultivate a sense of self-sufficiency and pride.

Living with a family of two, Sarojamma, like many others in the district, heavily relied on crops grown on their farmland and purchased produce from the local market. This limited their diet to grains and seasonal vegetables. With a willingness to explore new avenues to enhance her family's dietary palate, she joined ACC’s Kitchen Garden Intervention Program. As an impact, Sarojamma's garden has flourished into a vibrant garden of chili, radish, ladyfinger, beans, coriander, green leafy vegetables, and tomatoes. The abundant harvest not only caters to the entire family's nutritional needs, but also exceeds their expectations. Importantly, this initiative has significantly curtailed their dependence on external markets.

The Kitchen Garden Intervention Program, a cornerstone intervention of ACC and Adani Foundation, includes distributing seeds through Self-Help Groups and establishing gardens near hand-pumps and waste disposal areas. This initiative aims to diversify food sources, thereby reducing dependency on produce purchased from the markets.

ACC's Kitchen Garden Intervention Program focuses on empowering rural women by providing them with the necessary resources and knowledge to cultivate their kitchen gardens. Through this initiative, women like Sarojamma can grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs, ensuring a diverse and nutritionally-rich diet for their families. By promoting sustainable agriculture practices the program enhances food security and contributes to the economic development within the local community.