Sustainable Farming

In Jharkhand’s mining districts, solar dryers, irrigation pumps, and cold storage units are helping smallholder farmers reduce waste and increase income. Through the JH-RESET project, supported by Swaniti Initiative, the state is also training mine workers for new roles in solar infrastructure, food processing, and green enterprises—redefining rural livelihoods.

Once grown across Powai and Thane and favoured by the British, the rare Cawasji Patel mango—named after a philanthropist who helped shape Mumbai—is making a comeback on a Maharashtra farm.

Navnath Kaspate’s breakthrough custard apple varieties are transforming drought-prone farming, doubling yields, and inspiring thousands.

What started as a simple experiment on one farm is now helping thousands escape drought. With pits dug by hand and powered by rain, farmers are growing more, earning better, and living without tankers. The method is so simple—it’s changing entire villages without a single drop wasted.

A farmer in Lalpur, Chhattisgarh, Milan Singh Vishwakarma earns up to Rs 8 lakh annually through sustainable lac farming, inspiring others to follow in his footsteps.

Keyur and Nishit Barad turned their father’s dream into reality by transforming a barren three‑acre plot into The Chlorophyll Estate — a lush forest stay with more than 800 trees and 140 plant varieties just an hour from Mumbai.

HERB HEAVEN, led by the Mir family in Pampore, Kashmir, is taking the region’s prized saffron to the world. By blending tradition with modern methods, they empower local women artisans, providing stable jobs and preserving Kashmir’s cultural heritage through sustainable farming and quality products.

Every monsoon, a government-run nursery in Udupi, Karnataka, offers indigenous saplings for as little as Rs 20, encouraging locals to grow native forests on their land. Here’s how Siva Sankar and his team at Magadha Vana used this initiative to transform their farm.

Faced with crop spoilage in his village, 26-year-old Swuyievezo Dzudo used his science background to build a solar dryer that costs Rs 7,000. Now used by over 500 farmers in Nagaland, his invention is saving crops, boosting incomes, and earning national recognition.

Moved by the suffering in his hometown, Basaiah Hiremath left a high-paying job in the US to return to Karnataka. His solution? Moringa: a superfood that changed thousands of lives.