Widow takes up farming to sustain her family of three

After losing her husband in 2012, Bidyabati Pegu, a middle-aged-woman from Majuli district of Assam, has been working on the piece of farmland owned by her to sustain her family consisting of three children. Of the 10 bighas of land owned by her, Pegu has cultivated Boro rice and Sali rice - two indigenous varieties of rice - mustard and a variety of vegetables on only four bighas as she cannot afford agricultural labourers.

Majuli (Assam): Bidyabati Pegu, a 40-year-old woman from Majuli district of Assam, lost her husband in 2012 and has since been working on the piece of farmland owned by her to sustain her family consisting of three children.

"I have been farming the land myself. Be it sowing, tilling and harvesting, I have been doing it all alone. I had to take up this job because of financial constraints and now this is how I feed my children," Pegu told ETV Bharat.

Narrating Pegu's ordeal, a local resident said, "Her husband died in 2012...she has had to take up farming to feed her family. We would be very happy if the Chief Minister of Assam extends help to her."

Of the 10 bighas of land owned by her, Pegu has cultivated Boro rice and Sali rice - two indigenous varieties of rice - mustard and a variety of vegetables on only four bighas as she cannot afford agricultural labourers and finds it difficult to till the huge piece of land without help.

While Pegu's eldest daughter Rima is pursuing her graduation, her younger daughter Ritumoni and son Debakumar are still in school.