UMCOR on the ground in India

In Maharashtra, India, chronic drought has put the livelihoods of subsistence farmers in jeopardy. Driven from their dry and dusty land, these two women watch over their family's cows in makeshift camps. "If we lose the cows, we are dead," they say. For many farmers, this cycle of drought, decreased crop yields, and debt from failed seasons has led to points of desperation and suicide. More than 60,000 farmers have taken their life.

In partnership with Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), UMCOR is helping communities reclaim their livelihoods by distributing seeds/saplings, soil test kits and water harvesting systems as well as offering drought resistant agricultural trainings and farmer support groups. Slowly but steadily, India’s farmers are seeing hope rather than despair on the horizon.