Hirdya Bhabandi’s life is a story of strength, perseverance, and transformation. Left to raise two children on her own after her husband abandoned the family, Hirdya was no stranger to hardship. With no steady income, she took up daily wage labor, doing backbreaking work just to put food on the table. But even in the face of adversity, she never lost hope.

From her small village in Palamu, Jharkhand—home to a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)—Hirdya faced food insecurity daily. She farmed a tiny patch of land with paddy, pulses, and vegetables for subsistence, while her main income, approximately ₹3,000 (USD 35) per month, came from working on other people’s farms.

That changed in 2023, when Hirdya’s life took a new turn thanks to a partnership between HarvestPlus Solutions, HarvestPlus, Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), and ISDG under the Expanding Nutrients in Food Systems project. Under this initiative, she was introduced to biofortified zinc wheat (ZW), a nutrient packed zinc variety  designed to improve health and also offer better economic returns for smallholder farmers.

With guidance and training from HarvestPlus Solutions and its partners, Hirdya planted zinc wheat for the very first time. She received 20 kilograms of zinc wheat seed to cultivate on half an acre of her land. Having applied all the newly acquired farming knowledge, she harvested three quintals of wheat—keeping one for her family and selling two quintals at ₹21/kg, earning ₹4,200 (USD 49).

That first harvest gave her more than just income, it gave her confidence.

Motivated by the results, Hirdya expanded her efforts in 2024. With 40 kg of zinc wheat seed, she doubled her land under cultivation to one acre. She now expects to harvest 6.5 quintals, planning to keep 1.5 for her family and sell 400 kg (4 quintals) at ₹23/kg—bringing in an estimated ₹9,200 (USD 107).

This steady rise in income is helping her improve both her livelihood and family’s nutrition status. More importantly, it’s building a foundation for a secure and independent future.

Hirdya’s success is more than personal—it’s inspiring. Other women in her village have begun exploring biofortified crops, seeing firsthand how they can boost incomes, improve family diets, and create more resilient farming systems.

Thanks to HarvestPlus’ Solutions inclusive approach and targeted support for vulnerable groups, farmers like Hirdya are no longer just surviving—they’re nourishing and thriving. With every season, she’s growing not just wheat, but dignity, independence, and hope.