In a dialog with an engineer-turned-farmer and co-founder, Abhay Singh of Eeki Meals, what fascinated me probably the most was the evolution of farming. With no background within the area by any means,
In a dialog with an engineer-turned-farmer and co-founder, Abhay Singh of Eeki Meals, what fascinated me probably the most was the evolution of farming.
With no background within the area by any means, I solely had a layman’s information of how my meals was grown. After a affected person and lengthy rationalization about how medium-less farming works, my query was, “So the roots simply cling within the air?”
He smiled and mentioned sure.
This methodology of farming — hydroponics shouldn’t be solely efficient in saving water however has additionally been serving to farmers throughout the nation earn in lakhs. If you’re a farmer or somebody who desires to strive the tactic however is uncertain the place to start out, we’ve you lined.
The Higher India spoke to totally different farmers and curated an inventory that’s certain to depart you impressed.
1. Abhay Singh’s soil-less farming
IIT-Bombay graduates Amit Kumar and Abhay Singh based Eeki Meals, which makes use of medium-less farming to develop crops. The thought of the startup comes from Abhay’s ardour for locating a more healthy and extra sustainable method of rising meals.
Singh states, “We wish to make farming sustainable and reasonably priced for everybody.”
The startup makes use of hydroponics to develop greens on a big scale with out soil. Their method helps in saving 80% of water and rising the greens 75% sooner. This methodology entails climate-proof chambers the place plant roots cling within the air and obtain vitamins by irrigation.
“We develop meals in an empty chamber in a managed atmosphere. Roots cling within the air, irrigation occurs, and we’ve our produce. We don’t use any soil or options like coco peat to develop our greens and fruits,” shares Amit.
Eeki Meals operates in Haryana and Rajasthan, aiming for sustainable and reasonably priced farming.
2. Shailesh Modak’s experiment along with his jobs
Whereas Shailesh Modak was rising up, his household at all times taught him to have steady jobs with regular earnings. Nevertheless, he at all times felt that changing into an entrepreneur was his calling.
“So after I determined to give up my 13-year-long profession to develop into an entrepreneur, it felt like a life-altering resolution,” Shailesh.
Whereas he tried his hand at doing various things, it was farming that he discovered his true calling in. Shailesh was capable of develop a plant like saffron in Pune utilizing hydroponics.
Investing Rs 10 lakh in analysis and setup, he created a technique that makes use of 95% much less water and permits year-round cultivation. His first crop yielded 875g of saffron, incomes him Rs 5 lakh at Rs 500 per gram.
Shailesh goals to make saffron farming accessible to others, emphasising that anybody can undertake this managed atmosphere method. He states, “My purpose is to simplify the method so anybody can do it.”
3. Ramesh Gera’s journey to income
Ramesh Gera’s foray into saffron cultivation started in 2017, pushed by a want to scale back India’s reliance on imported saffron, which constitutes 70% of the market attributable to restricted home manufacturing.
After a profitable engineering profession, he was impressed by superior farming methods which he realized throughout a piece stint in South Korea. Ramesh invested Rs 6 lakh to arrange a 100-sq ft greenhouse in Noida’s Sector 63.
This funding lined development prices in addition to the price of procuring saffron seeds from Kashmir.
Regardless of an preliminary expenditure, Ramesh discovered saffron farming profitable. He reveals, “Saffron has an excellent price available in the market. You possibly can earn as much as Rs 2.5 lakh per kg in wholesale markets and Rs 3.5 lakh per kg in retail markets. You may also earn as much as Rs 6 lakh per kg for those who faucet into the export enterprise.”
The enterprise proved worthwhile, prompting Ramesh to ascertain the ‘Akarshak Saffron Institute’ in Noida, the place he has skilled over 370 people in indoor saffron cultivation. Now the enterprise yields him a powerful month-to-month revenue of Rs 3.5 lakh.
4. Dheeraj’s probability introduction to hydroponics
Dheeraj Verma’s journey into hydroponic farming started with an opportunity encounter.
A tv programme highlighted Israel’s modern farming strategies. Pissed off by the restrictions of conventional farming on his 10-acre farm in Barabanki, the place he struggled to promote his produce even regionally, Dheeraj was impressed to undertake hydroponics.
After in depth self-education by on-line sources and formal coaching in Madhya Pradesh, he invested Rs 12 lakh to arrange a 3,500 sq ft hydroponics system for cultivating strawberries.
Inside simply two months of implementation, Dheeraj harvested a powerful 5 tonnes of strawberries, incomes Rs 3 lakh in gross sales. Evaluating this to conventional farming, he famous a fivefold improve in manufacturing effectivity.
5. Sandeep’s want to attach with nature
Sandeep Kannan’s journey into hydroponic farming began from a want to attach along with his farming roots and discover modern agricultural methods.
Graduating amidst friends aiming for city careers or authorities jobs, Sandeep opted to delve into hydroponics after researching numerous farming strategies through the COVID-19 lockdown.
He began with small-scale experiments on his terrace, rising leafy greens and lettuce utilizing PVC pipes and nutrient-rich water, Sandeep rapidly noticed success. He determined to broaden and reached out to native markets. Sandeep step by step gained acceptance by supplying his merchandise to supermarkets and residential areas in Tirupati.
Regardless of preliminary challenges securing capital and convincing relations of the enterprise’s viability, Sandeep now earns Rs 54,000 month-to-month.
Be it Sandeep’s want to reconnect with nature or Abhay’s want to deliver innovation in farming, the tactic not solely helped them improve their revenue but additionally use water successfully. With India’s satisfaction being the agricultural sector, adopting such strategies can present that trendy farming could be each environmentally pleasant and economically viable.
Edited by Padmashree Pande
