As the planet warms and world leaders have just concluded the COP30 in Brazil, small-scale farmers like Arjun Kamal Singh in central India are living with the consequences and adapting, one herd at a time.
In the village of Mundla, Arjun Kamal Singh, a 36-year-old cattle farmer and father of one, continues a business passed down through generations. His family’s livelihood depends on a herd of cows and buffaloes whose milk is sold to local agents who deliver it to Indore for processing, while a smaller share is sold directly to nearby customers.
Arjun has been managing the farm himself for the past seven years, supported by three family members. Together, they produce about 400 litres of milk a day, bringing in around ₹400,000 a month, with roughly half that amount saved after expenses. It’s a business built on experience, early mornings, and an unbroken connection to the land, but one increasingly vulnerable to the shifts in the climate around them.
“Sudden changes in temperature hit us hard,” Arjun says. “When the weather swings, milk production drops, and our income falls with it.” Rising heat not only reduces yields but also affects the health of the animals, driving up veterinary costs and forcing farmers like Arjun to adapt quickly to unpredictable conditions.
For Arjun, access to fair and reliable finance has made that adaptation possible. Seven years ago, he became a client of Pahal Financial Services Private Limited, using a loan to strengthen his operations and break free from local moneylenders who charged arbitrary and often punishing interest rates.
“With Pahal, everything runs by the book,” he explains. “The EMIs are fixed, deducted automatically from my bank account. It’s transparent, it’s predictable, and it gives us peace of mind.” The difference has been transformative: instead of worrying about informal debt, Arjun can now focus on maintaining his herd, improving his output, and planning for the long term.
Environmental awareness has also become part of his routine. Like many farmers in his community, he uses cattle dung as organic fertilizer to enrich his fields, a sustainable, low-cost practice that keeps his farmland productive while reducing waste.
The benefits of this stability extend well beyond the farm. With stronger cash flow and more reliable income, Arjun has been able to buy a car, improve his family’s living conditions, and enroll his son in a better school. “We can live with dignity now,” he says. “We’ve built something that lasts.”
While he recognizes the uncertainty that climate change brings, Arjun remains grounded and optimistic. He knows challenges will come, but with the right financial tools and community support, he’s confident his business, and his family’s legacy, can continue to thrive.
About Oxfam Novib Fund
Valued at 44 million euros, the Oxfam Novib Fund (ONF) is dedicated to enhancing resilience in response to the escalating effects of climate change. ONF supports Microfinance institutions (MFIs), like Pahal, that focus on underserved markets and target specific groups: rural communities, small-scale agricultural producers and women borrowers. With every EUR 1 million, ONP empowers approximately 1,537 women entrepreneurs.
Together, we foster climate resilience and female leadership one small business at a time.
