Every morning as the sun rises, Bengaluru-based Vijay Narasimha (43) and his wife Vasundra Narasimha (41) are on their terrace sipping a cup of coffee, speaking to their 250 plants. They are not farmers or retired folks. They are merely working professionals who live in Jalahalli and are ardent lovers of plants and gourds.

Such is their passion, three years ago, when constructing their home, they ensured it could house plants too.

“Having a terrace garden that can provide vegetables and herbs necessary for daily use has been our dream. Earlier, we were living in a rented apartment and hence could not utilize space there. But, when we began to construct our home, we coordinated with the architect and ensured to provide enough space for placing plants. On the terrace, we placed raised platforms so that it would be easy for maintenance,” says Vijay.

Last year, the duo also had Galvanised Iron (GI) wires installed over their roof as vines for creepers such as bitter gourd, long gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, and beans to grow on. This not only creates enough space for the plants to grow on the terrace but also gives an aesthetically pleasing finish to their house.

“It was done with the help of external labour. Apart from the wire on top, we used ropes to support growth from the pots. Today, we harvest three vegetables every week, and when there is excess, we share with the neighbours too.”

According to Vasundra, growing gourds requires time, patience, and sometimes pollination too.

Here’s how they did it:

• Preparing the container, soil, and seedling

First, they prepared the desired container for planting seeds or seedlings.

The duo used a recycled container and ensured that there were provisions for excess water to drain.

Then, Vijay had planted seedlings purchased from a vegetable nursery. The seedlings were planted in an organic potting mix made using vermicompost and dried leaves.

While planting seedlings, Vijay says that he ensured the soil was loose and not sticky.

• Providing trainer ropes for support

Once the seedling started to grow, from the same container, trainer ropes were attached to support the creepers. These trainer ropes led to the GI wires that were laid on top.

• Hand pollination of the flowers

In a few weeks, once flowers started to show up on the plant, Vasundra identified the male and female flowers to hand-pollinate them.

“Female flowers have a small fruit-formation right behind them, and male flowers will not have this. Using a paintbrush or cotton earbud, the pollen from the male flower should be dusted onto the female flower. This process is to be done in the morning hours,” says Vasundra adding that sometimes bees can take care of this process, but on terrace gardens, it is unlikely that pollination will take place naturally.

Vijay and Vasundra say that you can use the method to grow your own gourds.

If you do not have provision to add GI wires to your roof, you can add support using ropes or poles to let the creeper grow.

But here are some things to remember:

• The gourds must be watered regularly.
• If you are planting using seeds instead of seedlings, it is important to germinate them first.
• The seedlings must be planted in containers that provide 12 inches of space for the roots to grow.
• Initially, male flowers are produced, and female flowers appear after.
• Keeping track of the blooming time is important as the flowers will wither after a few days.
• Every 20 days add compost to the containers from where the gourds are growing. This will help the plant to grow better.
• To prevent any disease from spreading onto the plant, Vijay suggests pruning them or spraying neem oil.

A spacious terrace garden

On their 400 square feet terrace, Vijay and Vasundra have lined up 250 flower pots, grow bags, recycled bottles, and cans. Some water bottles are attached to a hook on the wall, to create the look of a hanging garden. The rest are placed around the terrace.

“The water bottles are cut open at the centre, and a few holes are punctured at the bottom. Then, we fill it with soil, some vermicompost for nutrition, and plant the seeds or seedlings for the herbs. Apart from growing in plastic water bottles, I also used 5-litre cans to grow some varieties of spinach.”

The raised platform to place their pots and containers not only helped them keep their terrace clean, but also ensured enough space for them to place chairs and create a sit-out amidst their garden.

To ensure their terrace attracts natural pollinators – bees, the duo also grows flowering plants ranging from hibiscus to chrysanthemums. Vasundra’s parents, who live with them, use the flowers for their daily prayers.

Currently, the duo is harvesting 26 varieties of vegetables other than gourds, including cabbage, cauliflower, chillies, bell peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes. They also grow leafy vegetables like amaranthus and methi, herbs like amruthavalli, coriander, mint, basil, and more.

Lockdown woes soothed

“Growing food on the terrace has helped to shorten our food chain. After coming across horror stories about sewage used to grow leafy vegetables and herbs, we decided to become self-sufficient. For the last three years, we have only vegetables required in large quantities like onions, garlic, ginger, and sometimes tomatoes from the supermarket. Our terrace garden provided us with all vegetables we needed during the lockdown,” says Vasundra.

For the future, the duo plan to grow exotic varieties of herbs like rosemary and lemongrass.

If you wish to know more about Vijay and Vasundra’s garden you can follow them on Facebook or youtube.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Acres and acres of lands are being sown with seeds that will result in peppy yellow flowers of mustard, green peas, brown-coloured grams, wheat and barley in the coming few months. While the Rabi (winter) season has started across India, it is states like Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh that will soon be in news for its notorious but necessary practice of burning the stubble left over from the harvesting cycle of Kharif.

The smokey stench it creates causes massive air pollution across the northern regions of India. We are still in September and Delhi is already recording particulate matter of 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) in the air.

The practice of clearing farmlands by burning to pave way for new crops is called stubble burning. It was banned by the Supreme Court in 2019, as 50 per cent of Delhi’s “virtual gas chamber” conditions were attributed to stubble burning. 

However, with no cheap alternatives to get rid of their straw, farmers have continued to flout the norms, thus continuing the annual ritual of engulfing the region with fumes. 

Two Friends With an Idea

Sitting hundreds of miles away in Delhi, two friends, Aayushi Agarwal and Aru Mangla are at the receiving end of stubble burning year after year just like other residents in the National Capital Region (NCR). 

Having experienced the hazardous effects of inhaling the toxic air first hand, the duo came up with a low-cost and feasible solution through their startup RY Energies.

The startup, certified by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), converts farm leftovers like paddy straw or sugarcane residue (i.e, stubble) into high-quality biomass resources that are used as a fuel or raw material by power plants to generate electricity. It can take the shape of a pellet needed in biogas or biofuel and the biomass is also in demand by mushroom growers. 

“We have grown up breathing the toxic gases suffering from respiratory ailments during the stubble burning period. Both of us were in college when we learnt that the issue can be solved by reusing the agricultural waste. That’s how our journey began in 2017. In 2019, we formally incorporated the company as ReneYou Greentech Pvt Ltd after a pilot project,” Aayushi tells The Better India. 

Getting to Work

Taking into account all these problems, the duo took mentorship from The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) and IIT under StartupIndia Academia Alliance and Women Entrepreneurship and Empowerment programme respectively in 2018. 

In the same year, they collaborated with a Farmer Produce Organisation (FPO) in Sonepat and offered to carry out the conversion process using their machine. This way, they saved on investments and even gained practical knowledge. 

Both stints gave them the confidence to finally launch their company and in last one year, they have helped around 115 farmers in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh get responsibly rid of the stubble. 

“It is a barter system where we give our service of clearing their fields for free and in return for the residue. We process it in machines and then sell it to power plants or retailers. We have processed around 1200 tonnes of residue that has generated 1,085 MWh (megawatt per hour) renewable energy units and reduced 14,350 kilos of PM 2.5,” says Aayushi. 

A Win-Win Model 

Although the process of converting the stubble into biomass material is not new, what makes the startup stand out is its model, where all the stakeholders benefit.

During research Aayushi and Aru had found multiple reasons behind why this conversion method is not widespread, money being the most important factor. 

After interacting with several farmers they realised the machines cost up to Rs 15 Lakh and no farmer is in a position to shed that kind of money. Even if the farmer does not use a machine and opts for another comparatively cheaper alternative, still it’s a non-viable deal. The cheapest, quickest and easiest way is burning. 

Another issue that even the startup faced is fear. As soon as the new harvesting cycle sets in, the farmers are unwilling to wait even a week before burning the waste, “Many believe the stubble will slow the growth. Earlier farmers would use the straw as a fodder for animals but with excessive use of chemicals, the volume of residue has increased significantly over the years,” says Aayushi. 

Selling to a Market

What most farmers don’t realise is their waste can be someone’s asset as biomass already has an established market of buyers. 

To bridge this gap and ensure their model is a low cost, the startup approached Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLE) who were willing to invest in a machine. In return, the VLE would get a share of profits from selling the biomass and their costs would be recovered within 2-5 years. 

At the district or village level, the company has collaborated with various VLEs and transports the 3-machine set to a farmer’s field. An acre of land generates anywhere between 1.5 to 3 tonnes of stubble and the machine can convert 10-15 tonnes of straw in one day.

“The set comprises – cutter, regar and baler. After cutting the straw, a raker is used to align the straw in rows. Then, a baler machine is used to compress the waste into compact square bales that are feasible to handle, transport, and store. Our machine can process 2000-3000 tonnes of straw in one day,” says Amarjeet Randhawa, a VLE from Jatiwal village from Patiala district. 

The machine owned by him had processed one tonne of sugarcane stubble last year. 

Each square-shaped piece weighs up to 25 kg, and the approximate dimensions are 13x18x13 as per Aayushi. 

The pieces are then sold to the retailers and power plants and the revenue generated is shared between the VLE and the company. In 2019, the startup generated a revenue of Rs 25 Lakh, thus proving it as a viable model that promotes a circular economy. 

From paddy straw and sugarcane crush in Rabi to wheat straw in Kharif, the startup works round the year and undertakes operations simultaneously in various parts of north India. 

Challenges and Way Forward

The biggest worry of the bootstrapped startup was investing lakhs in a machine which was solved through their asset-light model (a business owns relatively fewer capital assets compared to the value of its operations) by engaging VLEs.

Behavioural change among farmers is another issue that Aru and Aayushi face in every region even after hiring the locals on a project to project basis. 

“We realised the farmers would not trust freshers like us directly if we offered them a solution to a problem that they have been facing for decades. We hire locals who are responsible for initiating a dialogue on straw conversion and then we take it forward from there,” says Aru. 

The process of making inroads is slow but steady as more farmers and VLEs come to the board. The final aim of the company is to expand its reach and reduce the practice of stubble burning as much as possible. 

A Solution Badly Needed

The pressing issue of stubble burning not only affects health and environment but also the soil’s fertility. As per a report, burning one tonne of residue can lower nitrogen by 5.5 kg, phosphorous by 2.3 kg and potassium by 25 kg. And the heat from the burning can enter inside the soil up to one centimetre.  

With Aru and Aayushi’s feasible and effective model spreading its wings in the farmlands of the northern region, acres and acres of lands can flourish in yellows and greens, only this time sans grey thick layers of smoke.

Get in touch with RY Energies at: connect@reneyou.in

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde) 

A very common citric fruit, the lemon found in our kitchens has gained more importance in recent months. Rich in Vitamin-C, the fruit is a good immune booster, providing much-needed nutrition when the Covid-19 pandemic is at its peak.

Many people now want to grow lemon at home. But this particular idea becomes a challenge for city dwellers who are crunched for space and know little about growing a lemon tree – which normally requires sizeable space.

So is it possible to grow a lemon tree in your balcony or on a small terrace?

Aakash Jaiswal from Kanpur has an answer to the question. The expert started gardening at the age of 14 and has grown a variety of vegetables in his terrace garden. Aakash currently runs a YouTube channel – Gardening lovers – and has over 6.5 lakh subscribers.

“My terrace garden is full of 250 varieties of fruits, vegetables and decorative species of plants,” Aakash says, assuring that it is quite possible to have a fully grown lemon tree in small spaces.

Getting the right plant

Aakash says that getting the right pick at the plant from your nearby nursery is the most crucial factor. “The quality of the sapling should be good. An easy way to spot it is by having a sapling bearing more flowers,” he adds.

What size fits it?

The branches of a lemon tree spread wide and so will the roots of the plant. “It would be advisable to get a pot that is 16-18 inches wide, to ensure the plant is not suffocating,” Aakash says.

Space allows a good spread of the roots and retains moisture. “Suffocating the roots often leads to root binding and that will not allow the plant to attain full growth,” he adds.

The best mix

Once the plant and the pot are ready, the next important step is to prepare the soil mixture. This is perhaps the most crucial stage as the plant will get all its nutrition from this soil.

Aakash says the soil should have 40 per cent of organic manure or fertiliser. “Vermicompost, cow dung and other organic feed usually work best. The remaining part of the mixture should be gardening soil, which is normally mixed with sand,” the expert says.

Nurture it like a baby

Your job is only getting started after the plant is potted. While it settles in new surroundings, there are many factors like the location of the plant to consider.

The plant should also be on a stable platform or base.

“The lemon plant requires plenty of sunlight, and keeping it in a shadow would not be ideal. Having direct sunlight on the plant is best. Also, avoid having the plant in a windy area,” Aakash says cautioning that watering of the plant more than needed will only cause damage.

Aakash says the best way to water the plant is in a gap of 2-3 days. “The water quantity should be limited, but adequate. Do not pluck or damage the fresh green leaves as it will affect the healthy growth of the plant,” Aakash says.

The gardening expert said adding some cow dung manure after a month and a half of potting the plant will help to give added nutrition.

My plant is bearing few flowers

“If you feel the size of the flowers is smaller than the normal, an easy way to solve the issue is by sprinkling honey over the plant. The simple trick will assist pollination from bees and help the flowering process,” Aakash says.

Year-long fruiting

There are some varieties of lemon found in the market including paper lemon, the grafted variety and seedless lemons. “Many people also choose to grow seedless lemon, Some prefer to grow Chinese lemon which are much smaller in size and look ornamental,” Aakash says.

“Seedless lemon varieties often grow faster and bear fruit in about two years. While, if you’re ready to be patient, the indigenous plant variety will give you fruit in five years,” Aakash adds.

Aakash adds that seedless lemons are in much demand in recent times and the lemon tree bears fruit through the year. “Having a lemon tree in your terrace or balcony is one of the best things you need to boost your immunity in pandemic times,” he says.

Click here to watch a video about growing lemons. You can also email Aakash at Aakashjaiswal0808@gmail.com.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Farming is a science that involves elements of chemistry, geography, weather and timing. Reaping the best yield out of farms requires a perfect blend of these elements with high precision and timing. Farm Again, a Tamil Nadu based startup is helping farmers achieve exactly that.

Unhappy farmer

Benjamin Raja started the company in 2012 from Tirunalveli, his hometown, after quitting a high paying corporate job. Life changed for Benjamin when he visited a school friend in 2010.

“My friend, John Augustun, a farmer from Salem, was not happy with the yield and earning less than expected. I realised the need to bring timely interventions in farming, to solve such issues,” Benjamin says.

“John was using 1,000 litres of water for irrigation, where the requirement was only 100 litres. This was the same reason why the yield was low, which is calculated in the proportion of 1:10,” Benjamin recounts.

“I thought what if the average yield in the country is increased five to ten times, allowing farmers to have a great life? There was a simple solution,” Benjamin narrates adding, “I certainly could help them.”

There has been no looking back since.

Rajaratnam Kanakarajan is another farmer from Thungavi, who wanted to give away his 14-acre farmland for industrial or commercial use. “It was getting difficult to manage the farm and I considered chopping down the coconut trees under cultivation,” he says.

Rajaratnam said Benjamin offered his precision farm technique for six months for free. “Benjamin said that if his technique succeeds, I would have to start paying him,” he adds.

“Farming requires timely and correct interventions. The watering, the use of fertiliser and the quantity needs to be adequate. Trusting the workforce did not help as effective monitoring of the coconut trees did not happen,” Benjamin said, recalling his efforts. And they did pay off indeed.

Rajaratnam said 99 per cent of his problems were solved when he installed the system in 2018, and he expects the coconut yield to increase from 80 nuts per tree to 160 nuts.

The farm management technique worked so well for Rajaratnam that he invested in the company and became the director.

Small innovation big impact

After initial successes, Benjamin says the farmers started facing a new challenge. “The farmers are enthusiastic about using the technique during the first season. However, the productivity dropped with the second and third season,” he adds.

Benjamin says that farmers tend to be less careful and pay less attention compared to the initial seasons.

“We were already using semi-automated techniques to attend the crops. We did feel the need for fully automated technology, but the sensors and valves were exorbitantly expensive. Moreover, despite the automation features, it still required manual interventions,” Benjamin added.

Benjamin decided to invest in research and developed indigenous equipment himself.

“These sensors monitor the moisture level of the soil, the water quantity needed, the amount of fertiliser to be used and other vital parameters,” he added.

Explaining further, Benjamin said the sensors detect and inject the necessary inputs in the soil and for the plant to maintain the optimum conditions for growth. “The series of inputs through the growth period helps get the best outcome possible,” he adds.

The system also works on a solar-powered backup which helps the system running round the clock. A mobile application allows all the parameters to be monitored and accept any inputs if needed from the user.

“The entire exercise helps to prevent over-irrigation and saves water, and injects the least amount of fertiliser needed to maximise the nutrition intake of plants, leading to high productivity,” Benjamin says.

Scalable and cost-effective

Benjamin says that a land area of half an acre, up to 30 km from the hub (or farmer’s home), can be covered in his technology.

About 3,500 farmers across Tamil Nadu, covering over 4,000 acres of land, are benefitting with the technology at present, the founder of the startup says.

Speaking about the cost factor, Benjamin says automating an acre of the area with imported technology costs around Rs 25 Lakh. But, with indigenous equipment produced in India, the investment cost drops to Rs 2.5 Lakh.

“The interventions come at one-tenth of the price compared to foreign-made products,” Benjamin says.

Saving resources through optimum utilisation

Dayalan, a traditional farmer from Pollachi village about 40 km from Coimbatore, said the precision farming helped his farm in the Western Ghats to save a lot of resources.

“I am getting 30 per cent more yield and saving a lot of water. Despite peak summers, the irrigation system works only for 2-3 hours a day,” he adds.

Some farmers have also started taking barren land under cultivation.

“I have about 22 acres of land. But some 18 acres are left barren while the remaining has coconut, areca nut and nutmeg plantations. With the same availability of water, I have decided to undertake vegetable cultivation on the other land area,” says Aravind from Udumalpet village, Tiruppur district.

Aravind says the move will help increase his income for a lower price – precisely what Benjamin intended all along.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Born and brought up in an arid, barren hilly region of Rajasthan, Lal Singh never imagined he would earn well by farming chillies. For almost forty years, Lal Singh from Singhatwada village in Udaipur Bhilwara district of the state practised conventional farming – growing corn and wheat. He says he never managed to earn more than Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per quintal per year from his one and a half-acre plot of land.

“This amounted to earnings of about Rs 15,000 from two seasons. The rainfall is about 580 mm in a year. Much of the rainwater runs off the hilly slopes due to barren land, leaving farmers to rely on groundwater,” he added.

But, in the last one year, he made Rs 2.5 Lakh by selling chillies. Rs 15,000 to Rs 2.5 Lakh – now that’s an impressive hike. Here’s how he made it happen.

A Turning Point With Chillies

“My family has been settled here for centuries, and our village of about 3,500 people have never experimented with any crop,” says Lal Singh, who is a sixteenth generation farmer.

But it was in 2017 when Lal Singh was introduced to the BAIF Development Research Foundation, a charitable organisation that helps agricultural development. The organisation taught him innovative farming methods including drip irrigation and mulching techniques.

“After feeling the need to change my farming practices and earn better, I attended training in Bandhanwada of Ajmer, conducted under the SAMADHAN programme,” he added.

In 2018, Lal Singh decided to cultivate red chilly in half an acre of land. “I was experimenting and was not entirely sure if the method would bring me success,” he narrates.

The farmer said, to his surprise, the produce was enormous, and he earned Rs 1.5 lakh as profit after leaving out expenses and investments.

“I used organic methods to cultivate the crop, along with bio-fertilisers and bio-pesticides. The drip irrigation helped to grow crops with little water. The mulching helped retain moisture in the soil, thus further reducing the need for water,” Lal Singh added.

Adopting new methods and changing mindsets

Lal Singh says it was the first time in his life that he saw bumper produce. But success did not come easy. “The saplings had to be brought and nurtured in the nursery for 30-35 days. After their growth, the saplings got replanted in the field. Mulching with plastic sheets and drip lines were laid,” he adds.

Reassessing his farming methods in the past, he says, “I realised that a scientific approach was needed to bring such an outcome.” Lal Singh also managed to sell some chillies by making organic chilli powder, as a part of adding value to the product.

Seeing his success, Lal Singh became more confident. “In the year 2020, I have planted green and red chillies in the entire field,” he added.

Sankar Meena, a farmer in the village also got inspired by Lal Singh’s success. “I visited Lal Singh’s farm to understand his change in methods of farming. After getting interested, I decided to practice the same methods,” he added.

However, Sankar said the exercise was quite challenging as he had to borrow funds from multiple places to get the equipment and start the farming.

“I used to cultivate vegetables, wheat and corn to bring home an earning of Rs 20,000 a year. The outcome came with a lot of effort invested in farming activities. But using the technique, I noticed that the cultivation required a much lesser quantity of water,” Sankar said.

The farmer added the saving of water became a huge relief in an arid region like Singhatwada. “The manual efforts required were also comparatively less. In one year I have increased my income by 40 per cent,” Sankar said.

About ten more farmers have decided to replicate the success of Lal Singh in the village.

Empowering the masses

Naresh Kumar, a senior project officer at Sustainable Agriculture Management and Development by Human Action for Nature (SAMADHAN) said, “The initiative is led by Hindustan Zinc Ltd. (HZL) led integrated sustainable livelihood project in partnership with BAIF.”

The senior project officer said, “We never suggested Lal Singh process chillies into powder for selling and earning more for his produce. It was his idea. We want to empower farmers in a similar fashion.”
Naresh added that this project is focused on farm-based development, ensuring values of nature or environment through community participation.

“We are aiming to demonstrate proven technologies, good management practices and empowerment of the farming community and orientation of rural youth,” Naresh said.

He added that the project is working to pilot the development of crop production, horticulture, strengthening of primary and secondary producer groups, promotion of rural entrepreneurship, doorstep services for improved animal husbandry practices through integrated livestock development centre and goat development.

“The programme is run in five districts of Rajasthan across 172 villages. Districts like Chittaudgadh, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Udaipur and Rajsambandh are a part of the project,” he adds.

Naresh said driving the farmers to accept new practices is a challenge. “A majority of the farmers are not exposed to better technologies or innovative agriculture practices. The health of the soil is fine, but new methods need to get implemented for the best outcome,” he added.

Naresh said that over the last couple of years, about 35000 families have benefitted from these initiatives.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

What if I told you that the prices of vegetables, fruits and grains are not going to fluctuate for all of 2020? The price of tomato per kilo will be Rs 40 irrespective of floods, droughts and even the pandemic. Meanwhile, farmers growing tomatoes will get higher revenue – up to 40 per cent.

The best part? The tomatoes are completely chemical-free.

Sounds too good to be true?

Well, Venkat Vetti from Hyderabad has translated this into a reality (on a small scale) through this venture ‘Farm2Fridge’.

The one-of-its-kind store has tied up with close to 70 farmers who are practising ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming’ to sell chemical-free fruits, vegetables and grains via the website or mobile app. Customers in Hyderabad, Vizag, Guntur and Vijayawada can avail this service.

Only after a customer orders does the farmer start harvesting the food, and once a week, a box of freshly harvested veggies and fruits is delivered to the customer’s doorstep. The company has divided the areas as per the zones and dedicated one day to each of them. This gives the customer an idea about when to place the order as per their day.

“Last year, I happened to watch videos on organic vegetables and their benefits. A simple google search introduced me to Farm2Fridge, and since then, I have been buying vegetables from them. The prices are reasonable, and quality is good, fresh and healthy,” Sruthi, a customer from Hyderabad, tells The Better India.

This farm-to-fork model has catered to almost over 5,000 customers since its inception. Not just that, many farmers who were previously using harmful pesticides have now switched to natural farming, thus bringing about a larger environmental impact.

Venkat aimed to provide his customers with authentic, stable, organically processed food, and in doing so, making farmers self-reliant by adopting organic farming.

“I became a farmer in my thirties with no prior knowledge or experience. All I knew was I wanted to convince farmers that growing food without chemicals is possible. I tried doing that when I was working alongside Subhash Palekar as part of the World Bank’s programme to integrate technology in farming. Many thought I was only preaching. So to prove my point, I leased 30 acres of land in Hyderabad in 2011,” Venkat tells The Better India.

For the next five years, Venkat experimented with various types of farming like intercropping and multi-layering, then introduced drip irrigation, and experimented with natural pest-repellents like leaves of neem and guava. After some failures and monetary losses, he finally learnt it.

After collaborating with two Farmer Producing Organisations (FPOs) comprising 30-40 farmers each, Venkat formally launched the company in 2016. He even managed to get 17 marginal farmers on board and helped them switch to ZBNF by providing guidance and inputs like seeds for free.

How The Fixed Price Model Works

The entire model is based on data analyses and the intervention of artificial intelligence. So every

“We use algorithms to predict future demands, climate change, number of potential customers, what kind of vegetables will be in demand. Based on these factors, we decide prices and place fixed orders with the farmers three months in advance so that they are well prepared. It is walking on a very tight rope between demand and supply, but with each order, our process gets better,” explains Venkat.

To determine prices, Venkat analysed the rate of veggies and grains from 2010-2020. An average of every year’s prices is combined with other factors like climate changes, transport, storage, etc.

Meanwhile, the farmers are paid every 15 days, and their profit margins are based on their farm soil and farming experience.

“We are getting better and fair prices for the crops I grow. Normally, there are barely any profit margins if I sell directly in the market. With twofold income, I was even able to pay off the agriculture loan I had taken a couple of years ago,” says Manda Satya Rao, a farmer associated with the startup since 2016.

All the farmers are based on the outskirts of Hyderabad to ensure the deliveries are done the same day of ordering. Every six months, Venkat also gives every farmer’s soil and water samples for lab testing to ensure they are not using any chemicals.

CA-turned-IT professional-turned-Farmer

With absolutely no connection to farming, Venkat’s journey to farming is quite unusual considering the deplorable plight of farmers in India.

A farmer even called him ‘crazy’ for leaving a well-paid established career for something that is forcing farmers to take their own lives. Venkat was not affected by what his parents, relatives or anyone said just like the time when he shifted his career to the IT sector in 1999.

“My father was a bank employee, so he guided me towards commerce and subsequently Chartered Accountancy. I worked as a CA for a year and soon realised the IT industry was on the cusp of booming. So, I joined Oracle as a functional consultant. This was my gateway to a corporate career which ended after the World Bank programme,” says Venkat.

The programme required Venkat to visit farmlands across Andhra Pradesh and help farmers incorporate innovative techniques. This project opened his eyes to the reality of farming.

“Many farmers were rigid in adopting new methods due to insufficient resources. They preferred chemicals as the government gave subsidy. Every time I visited any village, it was so clear that the farmers weren’t happy. They didn’t want their children to go into farming because they didn’t think it had a rewarding future,” he recalls.

These interactions gave him the idea to venture into natural farming and establish a steady market for farmers, one that would be without any middleman.

The rest is history.

Get in touch with Farm2Fridge here.

Edited by Vinayak Hegde

A few days ago, Mona Chopra from Ludhiana, Punjab posted her home-grown bell peppers (capsicum) on Facebook. To her surprise, inquiries poured in asking how she achieved the task and the process to follow.

After attending hundreds of queries, Mona figured out that there seemed to be no end to the doubts. And that there was a great deal of interest and curiosity about growing these tasty fruits at home. Which is not a surprise. Bell peppers are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, and help boost immunity. They are also high in fibres, iron and folate, with a low on calorific value.

So to help readers who may want to do the same, The Better India reached out to the 49-year-old entrepreneur to understand the steps in detail. It has been a couple of months since Mona started growing them and at present, her plants are at their peak.

Mona has always been into gardening since her childhood and grows almost all her vegetables at home.

“My father was a graduate in agriculture and worked at Ludhiana university. We always grew vegetables in our backyard and continue doing it,” Mona says.

No need to buy Bell Pepper seeds

“It is quite simple to grow bell peppers. Many people ask me to send them seeds, but they already come with the vegetables we buy in the market,” says Mona.

Mona explains that all one needs to do is keep half a piece aside for growing a plant.

“There are two ways of doing it. The first method needs the bell pepper to be cut in half. The seeds are visible inside. All one needs to do is shake some of them off the bell pepper,” Mona explains.

“Now, fill the bell pepper with soil and put it in a pot. The vegetable should get covered by the soil and a half-inch layer of soil covering it,” the terrace gardener explains.

A pot which is 8-10 inches deep is enough to grow a plant healthily. A large sized flower pot can also host multiple plants.

Mona says one should water it just enough to maintain moisture. The seeds should start to germinate in the next couple of weeks.

Taking care

Initially, the pot could stay indoors with some sunlight falling on it. Once the seeds germinate, the pot should be moved to a balcony or terrace for better sunlight.

“The plant requires humid conditions and also a good amount of moisture in the soil. The climatic conditions need to get maintained by positioning the pot accordingly with no extreme sunlight reaching it and watering adequate amounts to retain moisture in the soil,” she adds.

Mona says once the plant starts to grow it will go through a natural process of flowering and then fruiting to popping small bell peppers.

“It takes about 1.5-2 months to get bell peppers,” she says.

However, there could be an occasion when the plant gets infested with pests or insects.

Offering a toxin-free solution, Mona says, “A simple answer to the problem is taking a spoonful of soap powder, a spoon of Neem oil and mix them with a litre of water.”

The solution can be sprayed on the bell peppers once a week or fortnightly depending on the need.

Mona recommends adding vermin compost or cow dung or organic waste to add nutrition value to the soil.

“I usually use onion and banana peels, water used to wash rice and other organic waste from the kitchen to put it in the plants. Occasionally, use milk diluted with water. The supplements ensure the plants get all nutrients from the soil,” Mona says.

For impatient folks

If you do not wish to wait for a couple of weeks for seeds to germinate, Mona has a simple method she has started using for growing tomatoes but works for bell peppers as well.

“You need a container and two tissue papers for this method. Place a tissue paper in the container and spray it with some water. Place the seeds of any plant desired to be grown on them,” Mona says.

The gardner explains that the second tissue should be used to cover the seeds and again sprinkled with water.

“Keep the container covered with good ventilation maintained for the seeds. Within a week, you’ll see the seeds germinating on the tissue,” Mona says.

“The bell peppers on the tissue paper can get replanted without disturbing the paper. It will eventually decompose in the soil,” Mona adds.

Mona says the plant bears about four to five bell peppers at a time and are enough for a meal.

Mona grows bitter gourd, cauliflower, tomatoes, okra, spinach, fenugreek, coriander and other vegetables. “I don’t grow onion and potatoes. But the vegetable growing changes with the season,” she adds.

Mona says she has spent the entire Covid-19 lockdown posting her gardening pictures on social media followed by massive inquiries giving gardening tips.

“Knowledge, if it benefits others, should be shared. What will I do to keep it alone to myself?” Mona says.

Mona is happy to help with gardening queries and can be reached on +91 9814706390.
(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Recently, I was exploring a potential story about a startup from Bihar that works to empower farmers through training and providing technical support. Interestingly, during my chat with Raman Kumar, the co-founder of Agrifeeder startup, he casually informed me about some herbal tea he was selling with the farmers, now that lockdown had affected business so much.

A little digging revealed, much to my amazement, that he was handing over two-thirds of the income generated from the tea straight to the farmers.

Citing an example, Raman said, “We charge Rs 120 for a 50 gram of tea packet. But hardly any money remains with us.”

Raman explained that out of the Rs 120, Rs 13 goes into packaging, and there are other packaging and courier charges incurred by the company. “It costs around Rs 80 to pay for the two professionals hired to attend inquiries and package and courier the product via post,” Raman said.

The entrepreneur said that about Rs 30 comes as a profit in the form of earnings for each sale. Rs 20 is paid to the farmer, and Rs 10 is kept to meet the operational costs of the company.

And how much money has the fledgeling startup made during these three months? A whopping Rs 2.5 Lakh!

Here’s how it all happened.

Spices For The Lockdown

Agrifeeder is a three-year-old startup imparts scientific and technical knowledge to farmers. The company also works to help farmers shift from traditional farming to more lucrative options for bettering their lives. The company is run by two brothers – Rounak, an engineer who quit his job in favour of sustainable agriculture and Raman, a management graduate.

The lockdown served an opportunity to help farmers in a new way.

“The farmers here rely entirely on cultivating crops like wheat, cereals and corn. The harvest gets sold at Rs 2,500 a quintal or Rs 14 a kg. But, the market price is Rs 19 a kg, and the wheat atta costs Rs 40 a kg. Though they invest half the investment needed to make the produce, farmers are the smallest beneficiaries,” Raman explained. The whole process – planting to harvest to sale to money appearing in bank accounts – took a long time.

Raman and Rounak needed a way to earn farmers money quickly, for low investment but with a high return during the lockdown.

The two eventually came up with a plan. They advised farmers to grow spices in a small patch of their land, and which the brothers would use to make herbal tea. The spices would grow quickly without much effort or taking up too much space. And the tea could be sold quickly as well.

“We grew lemongrass in our land as a demonstration to the farmers in our area. We prepared a tea formula with the lemongrass and tested the customer response in the village Dubouli in Bhagalpur district of Bihar,” Raman said.

Brewing up a Business with Tea

With a good response from the locals, seven odd farmers agreed to get into the business. “We convinced the farmers to grow Tulsi (holy basil) and lemongrass in a half an acre portion of their farms. The plants require little maintenance, minimum irrigation and there is no need for insecticides or pesticides,” he added.

Rounak Kumar, the elder of the two brothers, said the farmers dry the harvest and then they buy for Rs 100 a kg. “In less than a month, a farmer makes Rs 2,500. This money can be used to meet immediate expenses, sparing the farmer from loans,” he adds.

Raman said that many villagers questioned their intent when they started the initiative. “Farmers thought we had vested interests in suggesting medicinal plants. They also thought that we were acting too smart with no knowledge in agriculture,” he said adding, “But with the recent success, many farmers have started believing in us and are curious to know about our activities.”

Munmum Tiwari, a farmer in the village said, “There was no concept of growing lemongrass in the area. I tried it in one acre of land along with a few others.”

Munmun said he spent Rs 60,000 to cultivate the lemongrass over two months. “I earned a profit of Rs 30,000 leaving out the expenses. So more farmers are feeling motivated by this,” he adds. About 30 more farmers have agreed to grow spices with the Agrifeeder company now.

In the past three months, the company has sold over 4,000 tea boxes of different sizes across India and the USA, earning Rs 2.5 lakh in that time. Agrifeeder sold 200 packets in July, followed by 1,700 in August and over 3,000 in September.

Rounak said the tea gets infused with black pepper, ginger, moringa leaves and cinnamon. “We are selling it in two flavours – ginger and cardamom. The two spices differ while the remaining ingredients are common in both the teas,” he adds.

“The lemongrass is good for skin ailments, moringa helps balance blood pressure, cinnamon and black pepper help joint pains and increase metabolism while Tulsi is known as an immunity booster,” Rounak said.

“The blend is much milder than the others in the market – making it safer and it goes easy on people with a weak stomach,” he adds.

“We are also in the process of collaborating with supermarkets to get some space on their shelves,” Rounak said, elaborating on future plans. Raman added that once they had the confidence of more farmers, they plan multiple initiatives for their benefit.

Big plans in store

“The farmers in Bihar do not know about corporate farming or growing exotic vegetables like mushrooms, baby corn and others which fetch high values in the market,” Raman says.

“But who eats mushrooms in Bihar? It is the same challenge we experienced to convince the farmers to grow spices. We still outsource black pepper, cinnamon and ginger for the tea,” Raman said.

Raman added the duo wish to give exposure to such vegetables to the farmers. “We plan to grow mushrooms, make dishes and introduce the vegetables to these farmers. There are also plans to have a facility to store grains and vegetables before they get sold in the market,” he said

Raman stressed that they would not charge farmers any fees to use the facility. “We want to create agripreneurs and this ‘Made in Bihar’ tea is the first step towards it,” Raman said.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Every once in a while you will need a doctor, a lawyer, or a policeman. But each day, almost thrice a day, you enjoy the benefits of the work that a farmer does.

Yet, there are woefully inadequate capacities in India when it comes to actually learning how to farm. This was the realisation that made Manguirish Pai Raiker (64). a resident of Goa, to start the state’s first community agriculture college in 2013.

A recurring vision

Manguirish started a manufacturing business in the late seventies and continues to run it successfully till date. “Despite being in the manufacturing industry, it was agriculture that always fascinated me,” says Manguirish.

As far back as he can remember he says that trees, plants, and growing food have played a very vital role in his growing up years. He also mentions his father’s passion for growing food.

“Unfortunately, he could not continue being an agriculturist, since it was not something that paid very well,” he says. But he grew up learning about the science of agriculture first hand from his father and wanted to pass on his knowledge.

“In whatever small way I could, I have always been promoting education. One of the first things I did once I started earning was to find deserving students and sponsor their education all through – until they graduated. I would focus on one student at a time and that helped give them the time and resources that they deserved,” he says.

He realised that while what he was doing was definitely helpful to individual students, to create large-scale impact, he needed to formalise it into a scalable process.

He maintained a vision of starting an institution where agriculture was taught in a structured, institutionalised manner, and started working towards it.

“Everyone I mentioned my plan to would smirk and ask why I was trying to lose all the money I had made over the years in trying to start an agriculture college. Friends and family were certain that in my sixties I had lost my marbles,” says Manguirish. Not one to pay heed to any of this chatter, Manguirish decided to move on and work on starting the college.

In building the college Manguirish mentions that he spent all his life savings, he says, “If not for my supportive wife [Varsha], I doubt I would have been able to pull it off.”

Launch Of Ramnath Crisna Pai Raikar College

Named after Manguirish’s grandfather, the college officially came into being in 2013, after a very long and arduous journey. “Despite having been an entrepreneur and having a very good network I found it next to impossible to raise money to build the college. Every door I knocked on was shut to me and that is when I decided to use an ancestral property and my own money to launch the college,” he says.

“I was not going to give up”, says Manguirish, who had seen the rough and tumble of running a business during the ‘License Raj’ era in the late seventies. “Even the process of getting a loan for the business and getting approvals was extremely difficult. The interest rate was steep; as high as 15 per cent. Despite all that, we survived and managed to do well” he says.

All the grit and perseverance that was needed to succeed as an entrepreneur served him well this time around as well.

The college is situated in Savoi Verem, which is about 26 kilometres away from Panaji. “I was clear on what I wanted to do, it also helped a great deal that along the way, I found equally passionate people to join the cause – Pradeep Lotlikar, a graduate from the Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth in Dapoli was one of them, who joined me rather early on,” says Manguirish

The college boasts of being absolutely state-of-the-art, equipped with an agri-lab, a computer lab, two polyhouses, and a nursery. “While I did have some friends who came forward and financially helped me, being provided government assistance would have made it all so much simpler,” he says.

Can You Eat Money and Drink Oil?

The more we progress and the richer we get, we seem to forget what our basic needs are, says Manguirish. “We need to promote agriculture and encourage students to take it up and study it since we need a thriving agricultural society. There is no doubt in my mind that they play a very important role in our society and to educate them and elevate their living conditions is one way to help them,” he says.

Manguirish went one step ahead and ensured that the students at the college are also equipped with the wherewithal to make and present a business plan. “Just like one draws up a business plan when starting out a business, it is important for agriculturists also to follow suit. Questions like how much money needs to be invested, what would be the return, and what course of action one should take in case the business goes kaput,” are important lessons says Manguirish.

Why Should An Agriculturist Make A Business Plan?

For long now, the agricultural sector has been dependant on the vagaries on monsoon and the various other external parameters. “The need to have a structured course and syllabus is to teach various techniques that have worked the world over. From the drip irrigation system from Israel or the possibility of introducing horticulture alongside as a means to increase revenue,” says Manguirish.

Until recently, a farmer would not necessarily know the details of the soil type. There were no laboratories where checks and tests could be done and one only relied on traditional knowledge. “Even if one could get the soil tested in a lab, no one explained to the agriculturist what that meant and what changes need to be made to ensure that the soil performs better,” says Manguirish.

Manguirish’s intent in setting up the college was to provide a holistic syllabus, which would address all these issues and help agriculturists be better and earn more.

What Does One Learn In This Farm College?

Not wanting to only cater to college students, Manguirish decided to offer the course to students pursuing higher secondary education as well. “I wanted to develop an interest in students from a younger age and hence we accept grades 11 and 12 students also,” he explains. Manguirish got help from the head of the Goa Higher Secondary Education Board and from there the process began.

What’s also interesting is that students who opt to take up this course during their grades 11 and 12 are not charged any tuition fee. “The idea is to get the students keen on studying this subject without putting any financial burden on the parents,” says Manguirish.

Students of grades and 11 and 12 will be studying the following subjects:

• English Communication Skills (ECS)
• General Foundation Course (GFC)
• Pomology
• Olericulture
• Floriculture
• Gardening & Landscaping

Students can also apply for the Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Agriculture, which is a two-year course. Explaining the process by which students are enrolled, Manguirish says, “The maximum weightage is given to children of farmers, followed by those who own farmland, and then those who exhibit great interest in learning. For us, their marks do not hold very great
weightage.”

“What’s amazing is how we have a very healthy mix of boys and girls studying in our college – some of the girls don’t just work harder in the field but are extremely smart in the way they study,” says Manguirish.

What’s the Scope Once A Student Completes The Course?

Each batch has about thirty students and so far there have been three batches graduating from the college. “We have students who have passed out join the forest department, join the private sector and help with the maintenance of farms and private green spaces, and some of them have even got together and leased farmland to start their practise,” says Manguirish.

What makes Manguirish the happiest is to see some of his students join hands to take up contract farming. “They are able to put to use the knowledge that they gathered while studying with us and are also able to earn a sizeable livelihood in this way.”

Given the thrust on contract farming, there is a lot of scope for these students to do well, says Manguirish.

Students Who Shine

Studying farming and various techniques and practises isn’t for everyone. Manguirish speaks about how the course can be physically taxing and very often one is needed to spend long hours out on the fields when it’s scorching hot. “70 per cent of the course is designed in a way that keeps the students out on the fields, and only 30 per cent of what they learn is from text-books and classrooms. I have seen students with blisters on their palm, sun-burnt, and exhausted, but the passion they have for the subject is what pushes them each day.”

From speaking at Michigan State University to delivering a lecture at Virginia State University, Manguirish constantly stresses how important it is to give farmers and agriculturists the right knowledge and resources to work better.

In conclusion, Manguirish says, “In realising the dream to make India Atma Nirbhar (self-sufficient) equipping our food producers is the first step.”

If you would like to reach out and find out more about this one-of-a-kind college in Goa, click here to access the website or send an email to rcpragrischool@gmail.com.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Like many urban gardeners, Mumbai-based couple Tanvi and Ankur Agarwal did not struggle to procure vegetables from outside their home during the nationwide lockdown. Their terrace garden fulfilled 90 percent of their needs. 

Seeing their social media handles flooded with pictures of colourful and freshly harvested vegetables, friends and relatives bombarded them with multiple ‘how to’ questions — like  ‘how to grow plants’, ‘how to prevent leaves from decaying’ and ‘how much water to give’.

The couple had their big eureka moment while patiently answering all these questions: Why not make and sell Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gardening kits that could help garden enthusiasts grow their own food in a hassle-free manner?

With a capital investment of Rs 30,000, they launched their venture, ‘Bombay Greens’, in May.

“We realised people wanted home-grown vegetables, especially now, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but didn’t know how to grow them as it can be tricky. Something as simple as not planting the seed correctly can spoil the outcome. Our DIY kit has a detailed step-by-step process that can get you started,” Tanvi tells The Better India. 

What Makes The Kit Unique 

The kit contains cocopeat, seeds, organic fertiliser and pots. 

Each kit has three varieties of veggies. The combination ranges from the exotic (like bell pepper, jalapeno and zucchini) to regular (like tomatoes and spinach). 

“We wanted our customers to enjoy growing different types of produce. So our stir fry kit has broccoli, zucchini and purple cabbage. The herbal tea kit offers chamomile, roselle, and butterfly pea. The microgreens kit has basil, mustard, radish, amaranth, chia and so on,” says Tanvi. 

The process is simple and even a child can do it.

• Add water in cocopeat and mix it with the fertiliser
• Fill the pot with the mix and make sure it is moist. 
• Based on the instructions, sow the seeds and wait for them to germinate 
• Water daily and keep the pots in the sunlight.

Sharing her experience of using the kit, Mumbai-based Priyal Mehta says, “I always wanted to grow butterfly pea and roselle tea at home but didn’t know where to start. I came to know about Bombay Greens via Instagram and purchased their herbal tea kit in August. I am expecting a harvest in the next ten days. I have also started growing other vegetables like bitter gourd, celery and spinach.”

Starting A New Business During the Pandemic

The venture now has a customer base spread out across India and within five months had churned out a revenue of Rs 9,00,000. 

Tanvi and Ankur did not anticipate such an overwhelming response considering businesses are struggling to stay afloat. In fact, their own business of electronic and mobile accessories suffered. 

So, despite sensing the popularity of gardening during the lockdown, they were ready to face losses. Fortunately, social media proved to be an effective means to popularise their kits.

Tanvi believes in-depth research about people’s needs is the key to a successful venture, “We spoke to people from various arenas — homemakers, professionals, students and elderly — to get reviews about what would help their gardening process. Our kits are designed based on the feedback.” 

The duo has partnered with vendors from Delhi, Chennai and Maharashtra to source the best quality seeds.

“We prefer compromising on our revenue rather than on quality. We source the finest seeds from certified organic vendors only. Before launching each product, we test the seeds in our garden,” says Tanvi. 

From advising friends and family on growing produce to running a full-fledged venture that is not only helping people consume organic food but also proving to be a financially viable business model, the couple has indeed come a long way in a short timeframe.

Please note: You can order the gardening here. 

Edited by Nishi Malhotra

I was about 20 years of age when I visited Hyderabad with my cousins for a short vacation in 2008. During my four-day stay, I was intrigued to see almost all food items being served with curry leaves. On the third day, to my intense surprise, even a ‘Manchurian’ my cousin ordered came cooked in curry leaves!

“Curry leaves are essential, and used in all South Indian dishes,” my aunt explained to us, following our shocked reactions. As I learned, besides adding flavour or the visual aesthetic to the food, curry leaves have many health benefits as well.

Curry leaves support hair growth, helps in reducing stress, assists in the healing of wounds and burns and helps maintain good eyesight. Curry leaves also help with digestive issues like constipation or diarrhoea.

How to Grow a Curry Plant

Alright, I was convinced that the leaves had a place in the food. But how to get them? A curry tree is a common feature in traditional South Indian homes. But modern homes (or flats) have made it difficult to access the medicinal plant. Often, even vegetable markets do not have a steady supply of fresh leaves.

However, a 23-year-old youngster from Visakhapatnam, Rachana Ronanki, assures us all that growing curry leaves in your balcony or terrace garden is easy and ensures a fresh supply of nutrition at home.

“A curry plant can be grown practically during any time of the year. But the best time to plant it is before the monsoon or winter season,” Rachana says.

“The curry plant is sensitive to extreme heat and may not attain a maximum growth during the period,” she adds.

Rachana says though a dominant food item in South India, the importance of its health benefits is picking up in North India as well.

There are multiple ways of growing a curry plant. “One can get a sapling from a nearby nursery, buy seeds or even make a graft from an existing plant,” Rachana said.

Gardening extensively for almost three years now, Rachana recommends planting a sapling for faster growth.

Even an Old Bucket Works

“In case you wish to use seeds, ensure the seeds are not dry. In case of graft, make sure the small branch or twig is slightly brown,” Rachana said.

For grafts, cut out a small branch or a twig, peel slightly at the bottom, dip it in rooting hormone powder and plant it inside the pot.

An eight to 12-inch pot should suffice for an optimum size of a plant to grow. “One could also use an old bucket by drilling a few holes at the bottom to allow excess water to drain out,” she added.

Rachana said the best soil mixture for the curry plant is to have a combination of soil, sand and organic manure. “Vermicompost is also a good option to provide good nutrition to the plant,” she added.

The Vishakhapatnam-based gardener said that once the mixture is ready, the seeds or the graft can be placed inside the pot.

Initial Days of The Curry Plant 

The curry plant should be kept in a place where it can access mild amounts of sunlight during the initial days. “The moisture in the soil has to be checked daily. The soil should not be too dry nor should it contain a lot of water in it,” Rachana warns.

In case of seeds or a graft, Rachana says that fresh shoots should be visible in a couple of weeks. “Once the plant becomes one month old, it can get moved to a place with more sunlight. It is ideal to expose it to about six hours of sunlight in a day,” Rachana told The Better India.

For the Best Curry Plant Growth

“Having day-long exposures to sunlight during winter days could be best for the curry plant. However, during summers, the plant will need protection under shade if temperatures cross 35 degrees Celsius,” Rachana said.

The expert added that it is best to keep adding nutrition to the plant each month by adding cow dung, vermicompost, mustard or Neem biowaste.

“The soil inside the pot also needs to be shuffled every few weeks,” Rachana said.

Rachana said one plant could provide a fresh supply of curry leaves for years. “One could also prune the plant occasionally for better results,” she adds.

So let’s get started and have a curry plant in your home today!

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

After spreading knowledge through books for more than a decade, a teacher in Uttar Pradesh has found a new love for farming. So much so that the earnings from his farm are many times his monthly teaching income!

“My monthly salary at the school used to be Rs 1.20 lakh. But I am earning Rs 30 lakh a year from farming activity,” says Amarender Pratap Singh, a government school teacher in Daulatpur village of Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh.

The farmer, living an hour away from Lucknow, has not only mastered the skills of farming, but is also inspiring and guiding others to prosper. “I was a full time teacher in the school and lived in Lucknow with my family. During the school vacation in 2014, I decided to get my hands dirty and try agriculture in 30 acres of family owned land,” Amarender said.

First Steps into Farming

Looking at some YouTube videos and accessing online tutorials, Amarender decided to grow bananas in one acre of land.

“There are a lot of problems with agriculture in the area. Farmers traditionally grow sugarcane, cereals and wheat. But the three crops do not help to earn much money,” Amarender said.

The teacher said for a farmer to earn money from sugarcane requires almost two years. “The other crops only support one during the long wait and does not help improve the financial conditions,” Amarender added.

The teacher decided to experiment with different crops.

“I started growing bananas in one acre land and slowly reaped success. The following year I learned that intercropping of turmeric, ginger and cauliflower with bananas would yield better results,” Amarender said.

The ginger did not help, but he got better results from turmeric.

“The earnings from turmeric covered the invested amount for bananas. The money made by selling bananas were complete profits,” he added.

From losses to Profits

After initial successes, Amarender moved to Daulatpur to put all of his efforts into agriculture.

Read More: Innovative Experiment Helps UP Farmer Become Debt-Free, Earn Rs 15-20 Lakh a Year!

“Later I experimented with watermelon, muskmelon and potato. Eventually, I visited various farms, watched more YouTube videos about best farming practices and grew strawberry, capsicum and mushrooms,” Amarender told The Better India.

After initial losses during the first cultivation, Amarender managed to turn the losses into profits. “Over the years I have planned the cultivation in a manner that waste from one crop goes as nutrients for the next crop in the soil. This way the waste generated from the farm never goes out of the farm,” he adds.

Amarender rotates crops between seasons and intersects intercropping techniques to get the maximum output from his farms.

Over the years, the farmer has scaled up his farming to 60 acres of land of which 30 acres is self-owned land, 20 acres is leased and he recently bought an additional 10 acres. The varieties also include coriander, garlic and corn.

“The 30 acres of land is used to grow vegetables and fruits while the remaining half is used to grow sugarcane, wheat and cereals. The total land helps to generate a business of Rs 1 Crore a year and I make profits of Rs 30 Lakh,” Amarender told The Better India.

With time, flood irrigation has replaced drip irrigation and sprinklers, and mulching technique helps retain soil moisture. Amarender said he often takes leave without pay from his school duties – as the farm demands.

“Many people and colleagues said it was a bad decision to move and shift to farming. My relatives said that people give up farming to look for better income through jobs. But I was moving the other way around,” Amarender said adding there were a few who appreciated his courage and supported him.

Helping Others Find Success in Farming

Looking at the success of Amarender, about 350 farmers have associated with him to change their traditional agricultural practices.

Narendra Shukla, a childhood friend and a farmer is one such beneficiary.

“Amarender and I studied together and looking at his success I was inspired to experiment on my farm. I decided to grow bananas in one acre in 2015 and learned all the techniques,” Narendra said.

The farmer said that eventually, he also grew vegetables to make more money. “The reason this method works is because produce is achieved every 60 days. This helps steady income of money and helps to invest the profits for the second crop,” Narendra explained.

“I believed that high risks would come with expectations of high results. Getting the produce to market is still cumbersome. The market is 70 km away in Lucknow and requires Rs 200 of fuel for each trip,” Amarender explains.

Amarender said that if the produce is not sold enough or at the expected price, losses are imminent.

“The problem exists for every farmer. I want to cut down the middlemen in these markets and directly reach the consumers. We are planning to work in this direction,” Amarender said.

The teacher turned farmer says that he still has not decided to quit his teaching profession. “Of course that is under consideration. I have procured a licence for food processing and making fruit juices. Once I set up that successfully, I can confidently quit,” he adds.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

It is a common belief that growing vegetables in a balcony or maintaining a terrace garden requires a large amount of space for a small amount of produce. But 37-year-old Devaraj K from Bengaluru proved that the task is not as challenging as it seems, by growing a vegetable forest – 20 varieties of vegetables and fruits – in a 10×10-foot space.

“I have all the greens, herbs, curry leaves, pomegranate, potato, beans and even drumsticks growing in that small space,” says Devaraj. Moreover, Devaraj grew all that green treasure using just kitchen waste and composting. “I have not spent any money to grow the vegetables apart from buying organic mixes to prevent infection in plants,” he adds.

Here’s how.

From a larger space to a smaller one

Devaraj, along with his wife, started a business of medical transcriptions under the name ‘Manpho Mediscribe’ in 2000. At the age of 45, the couple phased out of it from 2009 to 2014. “I started learning Yoga in 2010 and pursued courses to get a certification to become a coach. From 2014, I became a full-time yoga teacher to schools, private institutions and a yoga centre,” Devaraj said.

It was around the same time he decided to grow food for a healthier lifestyle.

The urban farmer said he developed a strong passion for growing food to pursue a healthier lifestyle. “During my childhood, I remember growing vegetables in the backyard with my grandmother and distributing the harvest in the neighbourhood,” he said.

Devaraj started growing vegetables in a house in North Bengaluru. “The house was big and I developed a terrace garden in about 30×50-foot space. But we had to shift to Jayanagar in 2014 after my son Adithya started facing health issues,” he adds.

The new house turned out to be much smaller. “It is a traditional house about 80 years old, and there is a space crunch when compared to modern houses,” he said. Devaraj said that with his son receiving medication for health complications, he decided to provide homegrown food to his son.

“We hear so many things about chemicals being sprayed on vegetables and the types of diseases it can cause. We never know how these chemicals will affect our bodies,” Devaraj said.

A tiny vegetable forest

Devaraj found a 10X10-foot space on the roof of his new (old) house. “The access was also difficult as you had to climb to get to it. But I still managed to make arrangements,” he added.

Over the past six years, he has grown carports, beans, cherry tomatoes, giloy, curry leaves, three types of lemongrass and even drumstick.

“Turmeric requires nine months to harvest and will get harvested this December,” Devaraj says.

“I want to demonstrate that even a small space is enough to grow vegetables and fruits. Some of my vegetables are evergreen, and I get produce throughout the year. About 50 per cent of the family’s requirements are fulfilled by the small space used to grow food,” Devaraj said adding all of the food needs for his son come from the garden.

The Bengaluru resident says that he has used kitchen waste to make his tiny vegetable forest flourish. “None of my kitchen waste goes out of the house. Just put the waste in the pit and cover them with dry leaves. You do need not worry about it as it decomposes,” Devaraj adds.

However, to develop a small garden on a rooftop posed unique challenges. “As the house structure is old, there is no staircase. It requires a ladder or directly climbing from slabs to access it,” he said.

Devaraj said that waterproofing the roof was another challenge. “The water needed to drain out immediately and not remain stagnant to ensure the roof did not get damaged. Installing a system to prevent damage to the roof was a task,” he adds.

The farmer said with less monitoring of plants due to accessibility, he grew chrysanthemums to avoid insects attacking the plants.

Promoting a healthier lifestyle

Devaraj says it is a relief to know that the food consumed is guaranteed fresh and non-toxic. “My son’s health has improved thanks to this clean nutrition,” he adds.

Additionally, Devaraj has helped many city-dwellers grow food at their home.

“Many people have inquired, and I am helping them to find the right size for their plants, treating the compost and finding flat boxes for growing greens. I even charted out a plan for seasonal produce about what could be planted in a particular season and when it would ripen,” Devaraj said.

Devaraj also recommends growing plants that are eaten by the family. “All these guides are for free and to help people grow healthy food,” he adds.

Crecensia Vijay Kumar, a homemaker is one such beneficiary from Devaraj.

“I had zero idea about home gardening and wanted to grow vegetables for the family, considering the pesticides and chemicals sprayed on market produce,” Crecensia said.

The homemaker added that Devaraj helped her build a home garden from scratch. “I set up in 2017, but it is only in the last six months that I have started dedicating more time to it and I am now planning to expand,” she said.

“Some of the farmers and food growers are also in the process of developing kits for urban gardening which will include organic manure, cow dung and urine along with compost,” Devaraj said.
(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Nanadro B Marak’s house is tucked away in the misty hills of the Tikrikilla block, West Garo Hills district, Meghalaya. As you walk towards his premises, you will be greeted by towering black pepper trees, strong winds and a spicy aroma.

There are 3,400 trees of the ‘black gold’ spice in Nanandro’s mini-forest spread across five hectares that he inherited from his in-laws in the 1980s

The 61-year-old was a pioneering farmer in the West Garo Hills, who first planted the Karimunda variety of black pepper, that gives medium-sized, chestnut-black coloured grains.

He began farming with an investment of Rs 10,000 (a huge amount back then) and planted around a hundred trees. With each passing year, he kept on increasing the number.

Unlike other farmers in the region, Nanandro stuck to organic farming and strictly avoided using any harmful chemicals from the very beginning. For the first three years, the trees suffered damage, but he did not give in. Instead he came up with eco-friendly alternatives to kill pests.

The result?

Today, Nanandro’s variety gives an average yield of 3.2 kilos per tree. This is almost three times higher than other growers in the state, “The oil content is also higher. Meanwhile, the smell, taste and texture are the same as others. The key to his award is the production quantity.”

The maturity period of the crop is 8-9 months, and Nanandro has formed his cycle in a way that he harvests twice in a year.

After 8,330 kilos of pepper in the first round, the second one gives 2,550 kilo – making it a total of more than 10,000 kilos every year. With an average price of Rs 170 per kilo, Nanandro clocked a revenue of Rs 17 Lakh in 2019, thus making it a very sustainable model.

“Black pepper is a one-time investment post which gives returns every year. By the fourth year, the maintenance cost also comes down significantly,” he says.

It is these very sustainable practices that bagged him the title of ‘Best Pepper Grower from India’ by the International Pepper Community (IPC) in 2018.

Confirming the news to The Better India, Dharmendra Das, Deputy Director & Regional Head Guwahati’s Spices Board says, “We are very proud of Nanandro for not compromising on his farming methods despite the hardships. Pepper is a very tedious and time-consuming tree to grow, and he did it entirely on his own. He is a model farmer for pepper cultivation in North-Eastern region. I hope others take inspiration and knowledge from him.”

As part of promoting spice cultivation in the region, Das had visited Nanandro in 2018. Impressed by the gigantic cultivation, Das helped him apply for the IPC award.

The Key to ‘Best Pepper’

“It is a combination of various factors,” Nanandro excitedly tells me as he pans his phone camera to share a glimpse of his lush green forest.

“Right from soil levelling, seed quality, mulching, composting to timely harvesting of crops, every step is crucial here. If there is water stagnation for more than 24 hours, the trees can easily be infected with diseases. I also adopted intercropping and planted areca nut trees in between pepper to get an extra source of income from the same plot,” he adds.

Seeing Nanandro’s success, several farmers often come to him for advice and training on growing black pepper alongside areca nut trees. He also takes training sessions across the district for those who cannot make it to his village.

Ringnang Sangma, a farmer and his promoter, says they have trained close to 800 farmers across 18 villages.

“Being a friend and his neighbour, I have seen Nanandro build his forest from scratch. I replicated his methods on my land and found success. So, we wanted to share our knowledge. Many believe that his techniques are complex or demand fancy equipment, but that’s not true. The method is ancient and easy to implement,” Sangma tells The Better India.

Here Are Basic Steps Nanandro Follows to Grow Black Pepper:

• Maintain a distance of 8×8 feet between each black pepper tree and plant areca nut in between.
• Improve the quality of black pepper by soaking the mature berries in boiling water for a minute before drying. It gives a uniform colour, reduces the microbial load and removes impurities like dust.
• Mulch the ground with dried leaves, grasses and banana stem. Do not disturb the base of the vines to avoid root damage.
• Use dry cow dung manure, vermicompost and compost (10-20 kilos per plant).
• Use a thresher machine to hasten the process of separating berries from the spike.
• Black pepper has moisture content up to 70 per cent at harvest. Bring this down to 10 per cent with adequate sun drying. Spread the de-spiked berries on a silpaulin sheet for 3-5 days under the sun.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

On any given day, Bengaluru-based Pratima Adiga’s home garden is an explosion of colours, from orange sweet potatoes to blue gingers, purple carrots, pink radish and all possible greens.

There are also spices like turmeric and fruits like pumpkins, strawberries, lichi, papaya and guava that further make her 800 square feet garden (divided between the 3rd and 4th floor) rather eye-pleasing.

And if there is one thing that the lockdown has not changed in the Adiga household, it is the constant supply for freshly harvested fruits and vegetables. Her garden offers her an average of 14-15 varieties of veggies every day, thus making the family self-sufficient.

Pratima, a former celebrity chef-turned-homemaker, started gardening four years ago to provide healthy and organic food to her family. Little did she know that unleashing her long-lost passion for gardening would one day give exorbitant returns.

For example, the highest produce Pratima has harvested in one cycle is 23 kilos of Turmeric and 30 kilos of ash gourd! During the lockdown, the garden produced close to 27 kilos of pumpkin, of which the family has already consumed 12 kilos. Meanwhile, the rest is kept for the future.

But we are not talking just about making money from her garden (though she is saving significantly as the garden fulfils 98 per cent of the family’s food needs). The phenomenal results Pratima talks about is her family’s health.

“Virals and coughs have reduced significantly and we feel more energised than ever before. It is like all my life I have consumed the wrong food, and I am finally eating naturally grown food that has a completely different taste. Plus, we enjoy pure air and a pleasant temperature even despite the rising heat in Bengaluru,” Pratima tells The Better India.

Varieties That Will Blow Your Mind

Growing food that has a longer shelf life is one of the early lessons Pratima learnt. Coming to the varieties, Pratima has grown 70+ varieties of tomatoes, eight of sweet potato, 29 of bottle gourd, five of ginger and eight of turmeric. She also grows herbs like oregano, lavender, basil, celery and lemongrass.

Recycled Containers to Grow Bags

For nearly 18 years, Pratima cooked mouth-watering dishes for different Kannada TV channel cookery shows. But they gave her very little idea about how the vegetables she was using grew. The closest she ever came to gardening was at her parent’s house where they grew a few plants.

So, Pratima underwent a gardening workshop conducted by experts Dr Rajendra Hegde and the late Dr Vishwanath in 2016, “It is important to learn basic concepts of gardening to avoid seed wastage and plant damage. The workshop helped me get started with 20 pots.”

Pratima consciously tried not to get too excited by growing ambitious plants. She started with the easiest ones like tomatoes, brinjal and radish.

She joined gardening groups comprising urban gardeners like her on Facebook and WhatsApp. This helped establish a strong network of people not just from India but also other countries like the United States.

For quick hacks and tips, Pratima would often post queries and on most days she would learn something new. The networking helped as she procured authentic heirloom seeds and nutrient-rich soil from the members. Some were kind enough to connect her with the right vendors.

Once she acquired expertise, Pratima ventured in other vegetables and fruits. Growing different varieties of each veggie became a goal.

As the plants in her garden increased, she recycled paint buckets, vegetable crates and plastic containers. She also added grow bags in the collection.

Going one step ahead, Pratima turns all her kitchen waste into compost for her plants. She makes a tonic to keep insects at bay from fruit and vegetable peels. Apart from this, she has also tied up with a local cowshed to source jeevamrutha. The proceed goes towards the cows’ welfare.

Here are a few gardening tips/hacks by Pratima:

Video

Pratima’s secret behind growing so many varieties of vegetables is her willingness to take the risk.

“How will you learn if you do not fail? The workshop did help me understand the water, soil and sunlight requirements but the care and maintenance I learnt on my own. The more you pay attention to how your plant behaves or reacts daily, the easier it will be to grow food,” she adds.

Edited by Vinayak Hegde

Orchids are aesthetically pleasing flowers that are often used to decorate wedding venues in India. But, did you know that 80 percent of orchids sold in the country are imported from Thailand? Samir Baghat, a successful Telangana industrialist with a steel and iron manufacturing business, has decided to slowly change that by growing these flowers on his farm in Sangareddy district, Telangana.

Samir and his relative Praveen Gupta decided to venture into the agri-business because they wanted to try something new and were always fond of growing plants.

Growing Orchids

In 2015, they purchased eight acres of land in Sangareddy, which they named Mistwood Farms, and started to experiment with growing vegetables such as zucchini and fruits like pomegranate. However, the experiment failed because the soil was predominantly black and did not support the healthy growth of crops.

“In 2016, while thinking about what I could grow without soil, I came across a farmer in Raipur who was growing orchids and was reaping decent profits by selling the cut flowers in the local flower market. These plants are not grown in soil but in another medium made of cocopeat predominantly. So I decided to try my hand at orchids too and did research online about how I could grow them in Telangana,” says Samir, adding that he did 90 percent of his research on the internet and ordered tissue cultured saplings of the Dendrobium variety of orchids in various colours from Thailand.

The saplings were planted in pots with a mix of cocopeat and charcoal.

“The first few were a failure,” recalls Samir. “Either they did not grow or did not produce flowers. But, after further research and providing extra care in terms of humidity and moisture, within 45-days we were successfully able to produce flowers. The flowers need a temperature of 20 degree Celsius and humidity of 80 percent to grow. So, I approached the horticulture department in Telangana to request their help to set up a polyhouse, on my farm, to regulate the temperature conditions. I also explained about the process of growing it and how if done on a large scale, it could generate profit as there were not many producers in India,” says Samir.

After levelling the ground and setting up water drainage facilities, Samir set up his first polyhouse, with the support of the horticulture department, in April 2016. It was spread out across one acre and housed up to 50,000 pots of orchids.

What are polyhouses?

Similar to greenhouses, polyhouses are plastic enclosures where microclimatic conditions such as humidity, moisture level and temperature can be controlled. These naturally-ventilated enclosures have shade nets, curtains and mini sprinklers, which are used to adjust the amount of sunlight, air, and moisture within.

Samir says, “We arranged rows of low-rise tables to place the flower pots on and fitted sprinklers to water the plants. The watering level is manually adjusted depending on the weather conditions. If it is a warm day, more water is required and on cooler days less water.”

Since the Sangareddy region is low in humidity, the polyhouses are necessary to grow these plants. That is what makes this a high-investment venture as setting up one polyhouse can cost Rs. 70-80 lakhs.

However, the produce was good and Samir sent cut flowers to the local market, which fetched an average price of Rs.10 per stem. Slowly, he was able to expand his business every three months and today he has eight polyhouses set up on the same farm. He grows only the Dendrobium variety of orchids but in a wide range of colours such as white, red, maroon, and purple.

Teaching other farmers

After hearing about his success, Samir was approached by the Horticulture Department of Telangana to set up one polyhouse with orchids at their Centre Of Excellence located in Jeedimetla.

“I gladly agreed and did the same for them. I spent one year setting up the polyhouse, taking care of the saplings, and teaching others at the Centre about how to take care of the flowers.”

Sruthi Reddy, a representative of the Centre Of Excellence, who works in the flowers and vegetables department, says they now have one polyhouse that grows white and red Dendrobium orchids.

She says, “Mr. Samir has provided a new opportunity for other farmers in the state to grow this expensive but high-return yielding crop. Since 2017, we have been conducting regular workshops on how other farmers can also start growing orchids. The workshops include information on how to set up polyhouses, how to ensure they have the correct climatic conditions and use the correct medium. More than 5000 farmers from the district have attended the workshops.”

According to a news article, though the Horticulture Department in Telangana provides help to set up polyhouses and teaches farmers the cultivation techniques, most farmers do not take to orchid farming because of the high capital investment involved.

But Samir, after investing large amounts of money to set up his farm, says that it has been worth it because he is generating good profits. He sells 5000 cut flowers every day at an average of Rs.10 each, and 5000 potted plants to nurseries every month. Though he prioritises selling within Andhra Pradesh, when he receives special orders from other states they are either sent by air or bus parcel services. The furthest his orchids have travelled is to Jaipur for a wedding ceremony.

If you wish to place orders for Orchids, you can get in touch with Mr Samir at Samir@mistwoodfarms.com or Orchid@samirbhagat.in

How many times have you carefully looked at the green shade of coriander or felt its texture? Because it is such a universal ingredient in food dishes and readily available, this versatile herb cum spice is undervalued.

Gopal Dutt Upreti, an organic farmer from Uttarakhand’s Bilkesh village (Ranikhet), also never paid any attention to his coriander plants until they entered the Guinness Book of World Records on 21 April this year.

The 47-year-old’s coriander plant received the title of ‘world’s tallest coriander plant’ with a height of 7.1 feet (2.16 metres) using traditional ‘Himalayan farming techniques’.

In an interesting twist, Gopal revealed to me that his record-breaking coriander was there only to save his apple orchards from pest attacks and insects. He never intended to popularise his coriander variety, let alone make a world record.

“Coriander is easy to grow and gives flowers that attract butterflies and bees. At the same time, it acts as an insect repellent for flies, mosquitoes and fruit flies. Seeing the benefits, I planted coriander in 2015, and the rest is history,” Gopal tells The Better India.

According to Gopal, neither did he use any special methods, nor did he add any secret ingredients to enhance the height of the plants. In fact, he claims he only realised they were different when farmers in the village and visitors were amazed at the unusual height.

“The average height of coriander in India is 2-3 feet, and in 2018 the height of my plant touched 5 feet. On my friend’s encouragement, I applied for the Limca Book of Records and got the title. For Guinness, I had to compete against a 5.9-foot tall plant, so I waited for mine to grow,” he says.

Gopal has now applied for a patent on his seed variety, which was procured right from his kitchen.

The engineer-turned-farmer quit his lucrative career in civil construction in 2015 after he was mesmerized by organic farming practice on his visit to Europe in 2012.

Though his ancestors once practised traditional farming, the newer generation switched to corporate jobs for a stable income. Gopal too migrated to Delhi in the 1980s.

Gopal spent three years to learn about the latest farming technologies, market rates, soil conditions in his village and so on.

He started farming on 3 acres of land and gradually expanded to 8 acres. Today, he has 2,000 apple trees in his orchard and hundreds of coriander plants. Besides this, he also grows turmeric and garlic.

All You Need to Know About Growing A Tall Coriander Plant

The best part about growing coriander is that it can be grown in any weather conditions, from Rajasthan’s heat to Mumbai’s humidity to Shimla’s freezing temperatures. If the temperatures soar exponentially, it can be kept cool via mulching.

Gopal recommends sowing coriander directly in pots, “Sow the seeds about half to one inch deep in the soil. Keep a space of 5-6 inches between 2 seeds. Water the plants regularly but refrain from over-watering to avoid root rot. Make sure there are sufficient drainage holes as coriander has deep taproots.”

The harvesting may take up to 3 weeks, but if you want to extend the period and get taller plants, then Gopal suggests snipping soft stems and rotating the plant.

Soil fertility is the deciding factor for coriander’s growth. It has to be kept moist, and feeding rich nutrients is a must. Gopal uses everything from a neem cake, jeevamruth, bichu ghas (nettle) to compost.

Gopal gives a detailed explanation about growing conditions here:

By using simple methods like seed preservation and composting, Gopal grew the coriander trees. Each plant gives about 500 grams of seeds, as against 20-50 grams from regular ones.

Gopal has preserved around a thousand seeds in an airtight container, which he plans to distribute to farmers and agriculturists in the future.

You can reach Gopal Dutt at: Gopaldupreti@yahoo.co.in

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Neha Bhatt, a class 10 student from Karnataka’s Puttur city recently bagged the third prize at the national level of The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) Innovation award for students for developing an eco-friendly agri-sprayer. She received a cash prize of Rs 30,000.

The automated sprayer machine that saves time, resources, and energy is for areca nut-growing farmers. Every monsoon, the farmers spray a mixture called ‘Bordeaux’ or ‘Bordo’ on the Supari crop to prevent fungal infection. 

However, when sprayed manually, the mixture –  a combination of copper sulfate, lime, and water – poses several health risks to farmers like a burning sensation in the chest or abdomen, nausea and headaches.

The idea of agri-sprayer was incubated during a workshop by NXplorers that Neha was a part of in 2018. Having heard about these problems from her father, Neha jumped on the idea and started working on it. 

With guidance from her parents, local farmers, Atal Tinkering Lab at her school and NXplorers, Neha built the automated machine that weighs 30 kilos and submitted the prototype for the CSIR innovation programme. 

“Having heard so many stories of Bordo mixture being an absolute necessity despite its hazardous effect, I always wanted to ease the troubles of farmers. The innovation challenge was like a much-needed push to act. I am grateful to my parents, teachers, and most importantly, farmers who gave their valuable inputs at every stage of development,” Neha tells The Better India. 

How the Agri-Sprayer Works 

Usually, it takes three people (to mix Bordo, move the lever to produce pressure and spray) to use a traditional Gator pump. 

In the process, a farmer not only comes in direct contact with pesticides while putting the pressure but also ends up wasting some of it. Other problems include high labour charges and more time and fuel.

“Neha has addressed all these problems with the automatic kit machine that requires minimal human intervention. She has used all second-hand parts and ones already available in the house to make the kit that comprises a diesel motor, battery, 2 gator pumps, pressure release walls, a gearbox and liquid level indicator. The kit is mounted on a cart so that it can easily be transported across the farm,” Shivaprasad, ATL in charge at Vivekananda English Medium School, tells The Better India.

Explaining the process, she says the machine works work on the principle of Archimedes lever according to which a small force is enough to exert a large pressure. Hence, the automatic pump is three times more efficient as it has three outlets and covers three times the area and crops covered by the old gator pumps. 

“The two Gator pumps are placed face to face, and their pistons are connected to the larger wheel of the gearbox so that when the wheel starts rotating one piston gets pulled, and the other pushed and this takes place simultaneously. The smaller wheel is connected to the DC motor via a chain, and the DC Motor is given power supply through the battery which is charged using the charger when required. When the pumps exert pressure, the suction hose sucks the medicine, and this flows to the junction box. From the junction box, I have given three outlets. There is also a pressure release valve. Here there is an accelerator to adjust the speed depending upon the number of sprayers. The battery if once charged works continuously for 5 hours.”

Apart from the sprayer, the machine can also be used as a weedicide, organic sprayers for paddy, rubber, cashew and other crops by the farmers.

Neha conducted several trials and testing to develop an error-free prototype while juggling her studies. 

Even though this year is crucial for her, Neha has not stopped experimenting. She is now working towards developing another version that is small in size and one that runs completely on solar power.

“Thankfully, my teachers and classmates are very supportive. They help me prepare notes and solve my doubts at any hour of the day,” she adds. 

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Achieving even one annual harvest is a monumental task in the desert regions of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. This is why most farmers of the region stick to well-understood crops that give some semblance of a sure return on the investment. However, Raghuveer Singh, a farmer from Chandan village, about 150 km from the India-Pakistan border, dared to take a huge risk and has been successfully growing 9,000 pomegranate shrubs in the desert, earning several lakh as income.

“Everyone who knew about the experiment called it a foolish idea. The area is arid, dry and alongside a harsh desert. There are hardly any rains in August and September annually. The only source of water is groundwater wells or bore wells,” says Raghuveer.

Jaisalmer, falling in Western Rajasthan, receives an average annual rainfall of just 161mm. Moreover, the desert storms, along with the scorching summer heat, push temperatures to around 50 degrees Celsius, making the conditions unfavourable for agriculture activity.

The common crops grown by farmers are cumin, mustard and groundnut – all of which demand less water. However, the yield and the profits earned from it hardly help farmers feed their families. But Raghuveer had a different idea.

Outsourcing the expertise

33-year-old Raghuveer says the idea came to him in early 2016, when he visited a neighbouring village, called Balotra, in Barmer district. “The conditions are arid there, and I witnessed about 250 pomegranate orchards in the area. I was excited to see the crop and decided to grow back in the farm,” he adds.

However, the challenge was that no one, in a 100 km radius around his hometown, had grown pomegranate.

“I started doing a lot of research about procuring plants. I learned that pomegranate saplings were available in Maharashtra. The persons selling them also helped maintain them for a service fee,” Raghuveer says.

Feeling confident from what he learned about irrigation and mulching techniques, the farmer also decided to plant cotton. “I have 85 acres of land and decided to dedicate 35 acres for pomegranate and 50 acres to cotton,” Raghuveer says.

To prevent damage to crops, the farmer planted neem and thorny shrubs like babul along the storm-facing sides of his land.

“The natural fencing protects the plantation as dust storms first reach the plantation. The only first-line of pomegranate plantation suffered damage in harshest conditions,” Raghuveer says.

Four years later Raghuveer took his first harvest in March. “There were 4,000 pomegranate plants that reaped a business of Rs 11 Lakh, out of which Rs 7.5 Lakh were a profit. The second harvest is getting ready and will be on all 9,300 plants,” Raghuveer told The Better India.

From the cotton plantation, Raghuveer sold 300 quintals to earn Rs 7 Lakh in profits.

“It is the first time that I earned huge profits from the two crops. People were surprised at the bumper produce,” Raghuveer says.

Pomegranate Doomed to Fail

Saang Singh Bhati, a farmer from the area, originally felt that Raghuveer’s efforts were doomed to fail. “It is good to experiment, but taking up thousands of saplings to grow sounded insane. I was sure the crops would not survive.”

Saang says seeing the pomegranate survive for a year in the local harsh weather, he also purchased 6,000 saplings from the same source as Raghuveer to plant in his 24 acres of land. “I witnessed a good size quantity of produce for the crop on my farm,” he adds, proving that Raghuveer’s method was no ‘one-shot’ wonder.

Raghuveer says there is an urgent need for farmers to go beyond traditional farming in the area.

“Farmers grow crops like groundnut, tubes and millets only for survival and fodder for cattle. Growing crops without rainwater is a huge risk. The harsh desert storms make survival a challenge,” Raghuveer says.

Through his experience, the Rajasthan farmer feels that with the right efforts and discipline, success can get achieved.

“There are more efforts needed, like the timely watering of the pomegranate plants and following a strict discipline of maintenance. One should not entirely depend on outside labour, and personal intervention is needed. But with dedicated effort, non-conventional crops can be grown in harsh weather,” Raghuveer says.

The message he wants to send it to the farming community is that new experiments and techniques need to get adopted. “Every single drop of water counts, and if used judiciously, an abundant harvest can get produced,” Raghuveer says.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

From being a fundamental spice in the kitchen or grandmother’s remedy to stopping bleeding wounds to having a wedding ritual dedicated to it and even being a traditional healing drink, fancied as ‘turmeric latte’ in the West – turmeric is an essential spice in the life of every Indian.

For thousands of years, we have made use of this little yellow spice and even more so today with its scientifically proven medicinal properties found in recent years. Belonging to the ginger family, it has anti-inflammatory properties, prevents Alzheimer’s and cancer, cures cough and increases immunity.

However, turmeric found in the market could be adulterated. So, here’s how you can grow it at home using soil, dry leaves and kitchen waste.

The waiting game

“Growing turmeric is as simple as growing any other vegetable in your backyard. A good single harvest can suffice turmeric needs for a year,” says Sujata Naphade, a Pune-based urban farmer, who has been growing turmeric at home, in a pot as well as her kitchen garden, for the last four years. Both of which, she says, have proven to be “equally good”.

The urban farmer says that you need a one-by-one foot diameter pot, soil, dry leaves and kitchen waste to reap over a kg of turmeric.

A seasonal plant

“A practice that works for me is a good mix of dry leaves and soil. Prepare the pot by alternately layering the soil and dry leaves. The layer of soil must be smaller than the dry leaves,” Sujata says. The final layer must be topped with soil. She explains, “A six-inch layer of soil is recommended at the top. The topmost layer could be prepared by mixing soil with organic manure, vermicompost, kitchen waste or other organic matter.”

Remember that the turmeric plant has no seeds. Turmeric being a seasonal plant, it’s best to get “fresh harvest during late December to January” from the marketplace or a farm.

For the best quality of produce, Sujata suggests turmeric should ideally be planted in March or April months. “Just place the roots in the soil and water the plant every two to three days. You will see shoots start to grow in a couple of weeks,” Sujata says. However, she cautions one to be careful with watering the plant as excess water will damage the roots and affect its overall health. Once the shoots start growing, cover them with dry leaves for mulching. The dry leaves will decompose and reduce the soil content. She adds that it is best to keep adding dry leaves every month to maintain the layer’s consistency.

A year long produce

“Mulching method also helps to protect microorganisms, adding nutrients to the soil. Now continue maintaining the plant for the next nine to ten months,” Sujata says. The plant blooms flowers through the growth and will produce best during the winter.

“You’ll know when the leaves start turning yellow and drying up that it is almost time to harvest. Once the leaves start drying, water it once in 15 days or a month, depending on the moisture of the soil,” Sujata says, adding that we must stop watering the plant once the leaves dry completely. A week or two later, the fresh turmeric can be harvested from the soil.

“A single one-by-one foot diameter pot will yield 4-5 kgs of fresh produce. Once the spice is dried in the sun, the total harvest would be around a kg that can be ground,” Sujata said. She adds that a small drum of three feet in diameter can produce even 6-7 kg of turmeric that can suffice a four-member family for a year.

Sujata is willing to share more details or address queries about growing turmeric on sujatanaphade@gmail.com.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)