The ecological alternatives in agriculture which make best use of local resources have proven to shift the tide in favor of farmers. One such experience is the Non- Pesticidal Management (NPM) of insect pests. Considering the serious problems associated with use of chemical pesticides and also the huge investment costs for small and marginal farmers, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Indira Kranti Padam, (IKP) decided to upscale the NPM into wider regions through the Federation of Women Self Help groups (Mandal Samakhyas).

The experiences of involving women SHGs, Mandal Samakhyas has been proven successful. During 2009-10, the project covered about 18.15 lakh acres with 4.56 lakh farmers across 4114 villages in 21 districts of Andhra Pradesh. Currently the project is expanded to all 22 districts, with a plan to cover 25 lakhs acres.