Swati Desai is an environmental andsocial activist who has dedicated her efforts to grassroots level developmentin Juna Mozda and surrounding villages in Dediapada taluka of Narmada districtin Gujarat, India. She is actively involved in various initiatives aimed atimproving the local environment and empowering the community.
Oneof Swati's primary areas of focus is watershed development, where she works toimplement strategies for soil and water conservation in the villages. Byundertaking watershed management practices, she aims to enhance theavailability of water resources and promote sustainable agriculture in theregion.
Inaddition to her work on watershed development, Swati is also engaged inorganizing women's cooperatives. These cooperatives are involved in processingorganically grown pigeon peas, thereby promoting organic farming practices andproviding income-generation opportunities for women in the community.
Swatiis part of an informal group called the Mozda Collective, which includesMichael Mazgaonkar, Ishwar, and Jayanti Vasava. Together, they strive to establishindigenous dairies and contribute to the local economy.
Withher extensive travels across India, Swati has sought to connect with variousorganizations and social activists engaged in grassroots level development.These interactions allow her to exchange knowledge and experiences, as well ascollaborate on initiatives that have a broader impact.
Swatiis a co-founder of Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS), an NGO focused onproviding environmental education to villagers affected by industrial pollutionand poor government policies. Through PSS, she aims to raise awareness aboutenvironmental issues and empower communities to actively participate insafeguarding their natural surroundings.
Swati'sefforts and contributions have been recognized through several awards. Shereceived the Rural Development Award in 2002, presented by the DevelopmentSupport Center in Ahmedabad, for her exceptional work in watershed managementin rural Gujarat. She was also honored with the Youth Awareness Award for theyear 2001, established by the Sant Bal and Vishva Vatsalya Foundations,highlighting her commitment to raising awareness among young people.
Furthermore,Swati co-edits Bhumiputra, a Gujarati fortnightly publication that wasinitiated during Vinoba's land gift movement in the 1950s. The publication'scurrent focus is to question the prevailing development paradigm and encouragecritical discourse on contemporary development practices.
Swaticompleted her studies in Physics at MSU (Maharaja Sayajirao University) in Vadodara,Gujarat. Her educational background likely contributes to her analytical andscientific approach to addressing environmental and social challenges in herwork.