Agriculture

Coming from a Naxal infested area in Maharashtra, Prajakta was well aware of the infamy that her hometown had earned. But that is not all there is to Gadchiroli.

In a unique initiative pioneered by two grassroots organisations in Hyderabad, where about 100 consumers signed up with small-scale women farmers from the nearby district to produce organic products.

One fine day in 1989, the municipality decided to transform Ghulam’s dream garden into a commercial market. Trees were cut ruthlessly, and plants were laid down by bulldozers.

22-year-old Pavan Kumar Raghavendran is also championing a unique concept of gifting through saplings through his venture.

From a unique variety of potatoes that grow on the soil instead of under it, to green beans that grow 1.5 feet long, the last six years have seen the family experiment with new types of crops and plants in their backyard.

This unique method is quite viable for farmers, especially in regions with acute water shortage, saving them from the trouble of shelling out vast amounts of money for various irrigation methods.

With just about enough rainfall and a hot climate, one wouldn't think that the farmers in Jalgaon would be keen on cultivating a crop like the banana.

With the dedicated efforts of teachers and students alike, the once barren land is now a veritable farm that grows vegetables like brinjal, bottle gourd, spinach, coriander, cucumber, and ridge gourd as well as fruits like banana and papaya.

PT Shinde attached sentimental values to this task and encouraged villagers to gift a sapling to the families celebrating special occasions. He even encouraged them to gift a sapling to a family in memory of a loved one they lost.

Vibhav noticed that the grown produce is mostly sold to village traders, the only buyers in such areas. He found that farmers often failed to receive a fair price for these crops, as there are numerous intermediaries involved in the process.