Archive · 3 Dec 2025
WOTR Trains Rural Women as Drone Pilots
WOTR, a group that helps rural areas, has trained women in Maharashtra, India, to fly drones.
These drones help farmers by spraying crops precisely and monitoring them.
The project, supported by the Walmart Foundation, aims to make farming more efficient and sustainable.
So far, 2,100 farmers have benefited, and more are expected to join.
The goal is to empower women with new skills and help farmers use fewer chemicals and less time.
The project is planned to expand to other parts of India.
WOTR has trained rural women in Maharashtra to become professional drone pilots under the ProRISE project.
The initiative is supported by the Walmart Foundation and focuses on climate-resilient agriculture.
Drones are used for precision spraying and crop monitoring, reducing labour, time, and chemical use.
The project has benefited 2,100 farmers, with plans to expand to 29% more by next month.
WOTR aims to scale the model across western India and eventually to other parts of the country.
- Who
- Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) and rural women in Maharashtra
- What
- Training rural women to become professional drone pilots for climate-resilient agriculture
- When
- Launched initially, with expansion plans ongoing
- Where
- Jalna and Dharashiv districts of Maharashtra, India
- Why
- To empower women and promote sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural practices
- Organization
- Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR)
- Project
- ProRISE
- Location
- Jalna and Dharashiv districts, Maharashtra, India
- Funding
- Walmart Foundation
- Beneficiaries
- 2,100 farmers (expanding to 29% more by next month)
- Purpose
- Precision spraying and crop monitoring
- Impact
- Reduced labour, time, chemical use, and effective pest control