FPA Fundraiser

In order to support the efforts of Dream Future, in March 2026, I organised an online fundraiser hosted on Milaap. Through this, I raised INR 75K (USD 780 approx) to proliferate work towards climate resilence, farmer welfare, and green agriculture. Leveraging community networks, alumni groups, and local business partnerships, the campaign aimed to subsidise the cost of low-tech irrigation kits, field training materials, and digital access points for scheme applications. The funds raised also supported the organisation of the FPA Hands-On Sessions, conducted in 2026 to streamline access to technical agricultural education. 

FPA Hands-On Sessions

In August 2026, we began conducting a series of four online training sessions in collaboration with Dream Future to introduce simple, low-cost irrigation and sustainable farming methods to students and underserved stakeholders. Through videos, demonstrations, and interactive activities, participants learned how water-saving systems work, how to recognise the signs of plant stress, how to read and manage their land, and how to apply practices suited to their soil, climate, and crops. By focusing on designs that are affordable and easy to replicate with locally available materials, the program encouraged wider adoption of water-saving solutions in smallholder communities.

Session 1: Why Water Matters

We opened the series by exploring why water is essential to plant health. Through the online mode, our founder led the introductory session which covered the three core functions water performs, carrying nutrients to the plant, enabling photosynthesis, and keeping cells firm so the plant stays upright, and discussed what goes wrong with both overwatering and underwatering. Using soil samples, participants learned how sandy, clay, and loamy soils hold water differently, and how climate and crop type shape a plant's watering needs. These teachings were ultimately supplemented by the FPA Handbook -- emerging as a tool to proliferate awareness around effective farming systems. 

Session 2: Reading the Signs, Building Solutions

Picking up from our previous session, we focused on recognising plant stress and introduced affordable ways to water crops. Participants learned to identify the key warning signs, wilting, yellowing (chlorosis), and browned leaf edges (necrosis), and to trace them back to water stress, nutrient imbalance, or heat. We then demonstrated three low-cost methods that need no electricity or equipment: bottle-drip irrigation, mulching, and the safe reuse of greywater.

Session 3: Farm Manager for a Day

Participants took on the role of farm managers. We compared three irrigation approaches (surface, drip, and sprinkler) and practised reading the land through soil quality, slope, wind, and sunlight. The session also covered practical daily habits such as regular plant checks, mulching, and keeping a farm diary, followed by a group activity matching sustainable practices like rainwater harvesting, crop rotation, and composting to real farming goals.

Session 4: The Future-Ready Farmer

In the final session, we looked at how technology is making farming more precise. We introduced soil moisture sensors, automated timers and mobile apps, AI-assisted irrigation, and solar-powered pumps, while stressing that these tools support rather than replace a farmer's own judgement. The session closed with a design activity in which participants planned a resilient farm, drawing together everything covered across the series.