Rural leader transforms Meghalaya village through sustainable agriculture

A grassroots female leader in northeastern India has revolutionised her community by turning wasteland into productive agricultural ventures, providing an alternative to coal mining jobs.

Bina Sungoh, Secretary of the Village Employment Council in Khliehrangnah, Meghalaya, has led an ambitious land reclamation project that converted 20 hectares of wasteland into farmland. The initiative, part of the Aroma Mission collaboration between government employment schemes and research institutes, has generated over Rs 5.4 lakh ($6,500) in revenue from essential oils and plant sales.

More importantly, it generated stable employment for around 50 households. Workers now contribute 25 days annually to agricultural activities instead of environmentally damaging mining operations.

The project established distillation units for processing lemongrass, citronella, and turmeric leaves into essential oils. A dedicated working shed provides safe processing conditions for the women-led operation.

Sungoh's leadership has inspired replication in 16 neighbouring villages. She has expanded into community nurseries and vermicomposting, converting plantation waste into valuable resources through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

After self-funding her training in entrepreneurial development at CSIR-CIMAP in Lucknow, Sungoh now mentors self-help groups in creating herbal teas and oil blends.