Millets and Sustainability Dharwad SHG Wins UN Award

A women’s self-help group from Teertha village in Dharwad district has received a big international honour. The Bibi Fatima Women’s Self-Help Group, started in 2018 with 15 members, has won the Equator Prize from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This award is known as the “Nobel Prize for Biodiversity” and comes with a cash prize of about ₹8.5 lakh.

The group was chosen from 700 entries across 103 countries for its work under the theme “Women and Youth Leadership for Nature-Based Climate Action.” They have helped farmers in more than 30 villages by reviving traditional millet-based farming, using natural methods, running a women-managed millet processing unit, setting up community seed banks, and encouraging healthy food production.

Their efforts not only protect local crops and biodiversity but also improve nutrition, increase farmers’ incomes, and empower women. Winning this global award shows how local communities can make a big difference in protecting nature and fighting climate change.

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