Farming

Shubha Bhatnagar, a 63-year-old homemaker, envisioned growing saffron indoors and providing employment to rural women. With her family’s help, she started Shubhavni SmartFarms, which uses aeroponics to grow saffron.

Instead of tossing out watermelon rinds, gardeners can use them to make excellent compost. Surat-based urban gardener Anupama Desai shares tips.

Observing the year-round demand for lemons, Anand Mishra switched from growing traditional crops like wheat, paddy, and peas to cultivating lemons in Uttar Pradesh. With his two-acre farm now yielding Rs 7 lakh in profits, he explains the reasoning behind this 'unconventional' change.

Bhausaheb Navale started the ‘Greens and Blooms’ nursery in Pune along with Sharad Patil, cultivating more than 150 exotic flowers like orchids and anthuriums. At the age of 50, he made the bold decision of leaving a secure job to pursue his passion for horticulture.

In dry Rajasthan, former national service commando Mukesh Maanjoo has created a lush green farm with tasty date trees. Using rainwater harvesting to aid the farm's irrigation needs, he earned Rs 12 lakh by selling these organically-grown fresh dates.

Alarmed by the effect of climate change on food security, Assam-based Neelam Dutta is on a mission to safeguard heirloom seeds. Under his venture ‘Pabhoi Greens’, he has trained over 24,000 farmers in Northeast India in organic cultivation and seed preservation.

P Saravanan from Tamil Nadu uses hydroponics to grow maize fodder for his cattle. He has also found a way to stay away from pesticides and keep his produce healthy.

How to grow a garden that attracts butterflies? Mumbai-based Priyanka Singh transformed her 13th-floor apartment balcony into a sanctuary for over 5,000 butterflies of 10-15 different species. Here’s the journey that led her to this.

Farmers traditionally cultivate wheat in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh. But Kanchan Verma's decision to transition to turmeric farming resulted in increased income. She uses organic methods and also sells powdered turmeric for higher returns.

After retirement, Ramesh Gera (65) started cultivating Kashmiri saffron in a small room of his house in Noida. He also teaches an online course on how to earn by growing saffron in small spaces.