Going organic has brought about a sea change in the lives of lakhs of farmers across India, but for Tarni Singh Munda, it came second hand.
Munda, 40, was struggling to eke out a decent living for his wife and three children till two years ago. Despite being a landowner, he never managed to make a success of farming.
Help came from unexpected quarters. Ranchi entrepreneurs Rajesh Kumar Shrivastava and Virendra Kumar Gupta asked Munda to lease them 8.5 acres from his land in Salsud village in Sonahatu block for an organic initiative.
With scientific methodology and the right seeds, organic strawberries, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, peas, lentils, tomatoes, potatoes and onions, to name a few, are flourishing at the farm of Rajesh Kumar Shrivastava and Virendra Kumar Gupta
The duo offered Munda a monthly honorarium, rent for the land and a promise that he would continue to work in his fields. The worried farmer, having exhausted all other options, agreed.
Much like the Green Revolution, when small farmers did well by leasing out their small holdings and working as labourers on their own land, so did Munda finally find his feet.
It began slowly. Shrivastava and Gupta did not have experience in agriculture. The former was a computer retailer in the state capital’s Sainik Market Complex, while the latter was a millowner who had diversified into some other businesses.
First, they leased out another 2.5 acres to get a total holding of 11 acres. They tied up with Agri 2 Eco Corridor for free water and power. The NGO, backed by Silli MLA and AJSU president Sudesh Mahto, provides the amenities for farms spread over a minimum of five acres.
“Still, several agriculture scientists told us that nothing was possible on these 11 acres other than traditional farming,” recalls Shrivastava.
But the friends did not lose heart. Another Rs 2 lakh per acre went into tilling and levelling the land. Thereafter, they explored the right seeds and manure for ensuring a good harvest. For instance, they got tomato seeds from the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) in Bengaluru.
Little by little, things came together by dint of sheer hard work.
Today, Munda is a relieved man. “I am content with my monthly income. My wife too often works in these fields along with several other villagers. This project turned out to be a good source of income for many of us,” he smiles.
An array of organic fruits and vegetables are thriving at the farm. Strawberries, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, peas, lentils, potatoes and onions, to name a few, are in great demand.
Each of IIHR’s plants is yielding 20 kg of tomatoes. “Earlier, our onions and potatoes barely fetched us Rs 5 -10 per kg. Now, our products are going directly to Ranchi,” says Munda.
Shrivastava has formed WhatsApp groups for his organic produce and says he is sometimes barely able to meet the demand from the city market, friends and associates, to say nothing of exports. It’s a win-all at this ‘Zaivik’ farm.
