PROTECT OUR
RURAL FUTURES
SDF mobilises small and marginal farmers in remote parts of Northeast India, helping them build resilient, climate-smart livelihoods through collective action, skills, and farmer-owned enterprises.
Livelihoods • Institutions • Climate Resilience • Women’s Leadership
Mission & Vision.
Sayanant Development Foundation (SDF) was conceived as a vehicle to gradually strengthen the socioeconomic position of rural communities by building their capabilities, institutions and market linkages.
Our Vision
Vibrant rural communities where smallholders, especially women and youth, participate with dignity in growing, climate-resilient local economies and shape decisions that affect their lives.
Our Mission
To co-create farmer-owned institutions and enterprises that enable sustainable, remunerative livelihoods through agriculture and allied sectors, backed by long-term handholding and responsive support services.
About SDF.
Sayanant Development Foundation mobilises small and marginal farmers to improve their skills and promote remunerative livelihoods in remote rural parts of Northeast India. We work closely with women and youth from marginalised households, nurturing local leaders who can anchor producer collectives, agro-enterprises and climate-smart action.
SDF emerged from grassroots experience in agriculture, livestock, market systems and institution building. We believe that when farmers own institutions, understand markets and are supported by patient, context-sensitive facilitation, they can negotiate better prices, reduce risks and invest confidently in their futures.
Our values are rooted in equity, transparency, respect for local knowledge, climate responsibility and a strong belief in the power of collective action.
Focus Areas.
SDF’s work spans agriculture, livestock and institution-building – always anchored in farmer ownership and local leadership.
Agriculture & Orchard Development
Supporting smallholders to shift from low-return monocrops to diversified, climate-smart orchards and field crops with better market prospects.
Livestock & Small Enterprises
Pig, goat and country chicken enterprises, backed by improved husbandry, para-vet networks and enterprise planning.
Farmer Institutions & FPOs
Strengthening farmer producer groups and FPOs to aggregate produce, negotiate better prices and build viable, local businesses.
Women’s Leadership
Centring women from marginalised households in every intervention – from governance to enterprise ownership and decision-making.
Climate Resilience
Promoting practices that conserve soil, water and biodiversity while protecting incomes from climate shocks.
Capacity Building & Digital MIS
Training, handholding and digital monitoring systems that keep farmers, institutions and programmes on track.
Impact So Far.
SDF’s core team and partners work across one state and multiple blocks, engaging deeply with farmers and frontline institutions.
Numbers are indicative and evolving as new projects are designed, piloted and scaled.
How We Work.
SDF combines deep field immersion with systems thinking – building an ecosystem around rural households rather than standalone projects.
Listen & Map
We listen to communities, map livelihoods, risks and aspirations, and understand existing institutions before proposing interventions.
Co-design Solutions
Farmers, especially women and youth, co-design livelihood plans, enterprises and institutional structures with the facilitation team.
Build Institutions
We focus on groups, committees and FPOs with strong governance, clear roles and transparent financial systems.
Support & Learn
Long-term handholding, MIS-based tracking and reflection with communities helps refine and scale what works.
Recent Donations
Every contribution helps us walk a little further with small and marginal farmers. Thank you for standing with Sayanant Development Foundation.
Be the first to support SDF today and help us protect rural futures.
Your name could be here after your first contribution.
Your Donation, Their Future.
rural livelihoods and institutions.
Your contribution helps us co-create dignified livelihoods – from orchard intensification and small livestock enterprises to FPO-led market access and digital MIS for farmer institutions.
- • Training and handholding support for women and youth.
- • Strengthening farmer producer groups and FPOs.
- • Demonstrations and pilots on climate-smart practices.
- • Field facilitation, monitoring and learning systems.
₹1,000 – contributes to training materials and field sessions.
₹5,000 – supports one intensive livelihood mentoring cycle with a group of farmers.
₹10,000+ – strengthens FPO governance, digital MIS and enterprise planning.
SDF is committed to transparency and will share periodic updates from the field with donors.
Get Involved.
There are many ways to walk with us – as volunteers, partners, interns or team members.
Volunteer With Us
Share your time and skills in documentation, design, research, digital tools or field facilitation. Remote and on-ground opportunities are explored as per project needs.
Partner For Impact
If you are a CSR team, funding agency or institution working on livelihoods and climate resilience, we would be happy to co-design programmes in Northeast India.
Join Our Team
SDF is building a small, sharp team that is comfortable with both field reality and systems thinking. Keep an eye on opportunities in our “Careers” section.
Gallery Highlights.
Glimpses from trainings, exposure visits, producer group meetings and everyday moments of rural resilience.