How Oorja’s Advisory Services Are Helping Farmers Grow More and Earn More
For smallholder farmers in rural Uttar Pradesh, every planting decision carries enormous weight. With limited land and resources, staying locked into traditional wheat-rice cycles has meant predictable but modest incomes with little room for growth. Oorja Development Solutions (Oorja) is breaking this cycle through an innovative combination of affordable solar-powered irrigation and comprehensive agronomy advisory […]
How climate change leads to crop loss in India
These days, a trip to the sabzi mandi is a great example of how climate change is impacting India. Tomatoes, onions, tur, urad… No crop has been spared by erratic weather conditions, a price the common man now pays heavily for. We might think climate change makes only those living on the coast or in […]
How Oorja is Reimagining Access to Solar-powered Irrigation
For a large percentage of Indians, nothing brings a glimmer of hope more than looming grey clouds. A normal and well-distributed monsoon is crucial for the 61 percent of Indian farmers who are dependent on rains for practising agriculture. Essentially, about 55 per cent of India’s net sown area (139.42 million ha) relies heavily on […]
Insights from the 5th Acumen Energy Summit: Designing for Impact in Energy Access
Recently, our Chief Operating Officer, Audrey Fillon, represented Oorja at the 5th Acumen Energy Summit in Nairobi — an engaging gathering of entrepreneurs, funders, and institutions dedicated to advancing energy access in the world’s most underserved regions. Across every conversation, the message was clear: we need smarter tools, stronger collaboration, and more intentional design if […]
Why we need to focus on small-scale farmers in India
When we think of farming, we picture sprawling green acres of land. But reality is far from this truth in India. According to the Agriculture Census 2015-16 in India, 86.1 percent of farmers are small and marginal (SMF). Essentially, this means that they have a landholding size smaller than two hectares. It is striking to […]
Beyond Rabi and Kharif: The Untapped Potential of Zayed Crops
It is no secret that agriculture is one of the leading employers in India. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 70 percent of the country’s rural population relies on agriculture for their livelihood. Close to 80 percent of the farmers are small and marginal, i.e., they farm on land holdings […]
The Invisible Backbone: Why Female Farmers Deserve Recognition
What is the first image to pop into your mind when you think of a farmer? For many, it is likely to be an image of a man, bent over a sickle, as he pours his sweat, blood and tears into the land to ensure his family and country get enough grains. While this isn’t […]
Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Growth, Innovation, and Community Impact
As we move deeper into 2025, Oorja reflects on a transformative year full of milestones and invaluable learnings. This year, we focused on expanding our clean energy solutions, refining our service offerings, and empowering smallholder farmers with the tools they need to thrive. Here’s a glimpse into some of the lessons that shaped our journey. […]
Empowering Rural India: Oorja’s Impact Journey in 2024
In the heart of rural India, where challenges abound and opportunities are rare, Oorja has been on a transformative journey, empowering households and fostering sustainability through clean energy and innovative farming solutions. 2024 was a year of bold innovation, strategic collaborations, remarkable achievements and resilient growth. Join us in celebrating another year of an unyielding […]
What is Climate-Smart Agriculture and why is it crucial for India’s future?
One of the harshest truths about climate change is its deep unfairness—it hits the most vulnerable the hardest. Often, poverty and climate change are interlinked, and marginalised communities often bear the brunt of extreme weather events. Farmers are among the hardest hit, as their crops suffer from unpredictable and severe droughts, floods, and heatwaves as […]