Lucknow,

14 Nov (HS): On

Jharkhand Foundation Day, meet four farmers who have adopted modern techniques

to reap profitability and are now earning dignified livelihoods. Rich in

minerals and forest wealth, Jharkhand has abundant farming potential but is

often challenged by erratic weather patterns including droughts and an unstable

monsoon cycle. For many small and subsistence farmers, cultivation remains a

daily struggle marked by low yields, fragmented land and outdated techniques.

But across these challenges, a quiet transformation is taking root. As

Jharkhand celebrates its Foundation Day on November 15, it’s also a moment to

celebrate its people, here are four stories of hope and regeneration. Through

its work to transform India’s bottom 1,00,000 villages into thriving

localities, Transform Rural India (TRI) has been part of this change. By

empowering farmers like Yamuna Kumari, Priyanka Kumari, Nikki Kumari, and

Haricharan Oraon, TRI is helping Jharkhand’s communities increase productivity

and earn dignified livelihoods.

An overview:

1. Yamuna Kumari

At just 23, Yamuna Kumari exemplifies the next

generation of women farmers in Bero, Jharkhand.

Married with two children, she had a postgraduate degree in Geography

from KCB College, but was keenly interested in farming her five-acre land

profitably. Her family had till now grown only paddy, wheat, and vegetables,

but with TRI's help, Yamuna learnt new farming techniques at a Farmer Field

School (FFS). She received hands-on training in polyhouse farming, nursery

management, mulching, drip irrigation, root zone irrigation, and trellis

systems. She no longer struggles to sell her produce and is able to procure

high-quality seeds. TRI also trained her in area selection, annual crop

calendar making, crop selection, and best practices for fertiliser and manure

application. She has also been provided access to a solar pump set, a training

hall, and a nursery structure to experiment with new crops. She now practices

round-the-year farming, and has divided her land to grow a diverse range of

crops such as mango, wheat, French beans, potato, grafted brinjal, marigold,

cauliflower, green pea, ginger, green chili and strawberry, with additional

crops during the Kharif season. She earns an annual income of approximately INR

10-11 lakh and as a successful 'Mahila Kissan' , is inspiring other farmers to

also take up high-value agriculture.

2. Priyanka Kumari

Priyanka

Kumari was a subsistence farmer who tirelessly worked to cultivate crops on her

small, half an acre of land in Lipiya, Gola Block. The traditional methods

reliant on mercurial weather and local markets however were not making the most

of the land's potential. Seasonal irregularities, excessive rainfall or heat,

pest attacks, and other assorted challenges like low yield resulted in a meagre

annual income of just ₹20,000 to ₹21,000. In 2022, TRI introduced her to modern

techniques like greenhouse/protected farming, and she set up her first

protected unit on six decimals of her land. She learnt to control pests

naturally, improve soil health using organic methods, and gradually, her crops

started flourishing and her income increased to ₹35,000–₹40,000 per season. Her

success as a progressive farmer is also now paving the way for fellow farmers

in her region.

3.

Nikki Kumari

Nikki

Kumari, a farmer from Purana Pani village in Bero Block, Ranchi District, had

long relied on traditional farming practices on her 6–7 acres of cultivable

land. However, the lack of scientific methods and poor crop planning meant her

yields remained low, and she often missed opportunities to sell her produce at

better market prices. This inefficiency resulted in an annual income of around

Rs. 3 lakh, leaving little room to support her family’s needs. In 2022, after

learning about the Millionaire Farmers Development Programme (MFDP) at a CLF

meeting, Nikki decided to embrace modern techniques. Through the programme and

with guidance from TRI, she was introduced to multi-tier farming, machan

cultivation, protected farming, drip irrigation, and mixed cropping. She also

learnt mulching and grafting techniques for crops like brinjal and tomato, and

availed support through government schemes to install a solar lift irrigation

system in her field. With improved irrigation and better crop planning, Nikki

now earns Rs12–13 lakh per season. Her success has enabled her to build a new

home, buy a tractor, and provide her daughters with a quality education. Today,

Nikki stands as an inspiration for farmers in neighbouring villages, showing

how knowledge and innovation can transform lives.

4. Haricharan Oraon

Haricharan

Oraon, a farmer from Dhurleta village in Rajadera Panchayat, Ranchi, once

struggled to make a living from his small landholding. Coming from a poor

family, he had to leave school early, and his family often relied on forest

tubers to survive. In search of work, he spent nearly ten years in Punjab as a

farm labourer before returning home to apply what he had learned. In 2020, TRI

introduced him to modern practices through MFDP, where he learnt about protected

cultivation, creeper farming, soil-less nurseries, and drip irrigation, and

soon set up his first net house on ten decimals of land. His first cucumber

cultivation fetched Rs 40,000, encouraging him to expand into capsicum,

cauliflower, tomatoes, and leafy vegetables. Using multi-tier farming and

organic methods, he now grows a mix of vegetables and fruits such as brinjal,

chilli, beans, papaya, and mango. Over time, his annual income has increased

from Rs 2.65 lakh to Rs 10.75 lakh, ensuring financial stability for his

family. Today, Haricharan stands as an inspiration in Dhurleta, where other

farmers visit his fields to learn about modern, sustainable farming practices.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi