Daijiworld Media Network - Chitradurga (SP)

Chitradurga, Jan 29: Nowadays, everyone yearns to spend time inside air-conditioned offices and detests agriculture. The youngsters in particular head for cities as soon as possible. Engineering graduates in particular roam from one company to the other for working in cool and comfortable conditions. As opposed to them, a lady from here who is an engineering graduate and who used to draw good salary in the IT sector, has raised good crops and earned nice profit. She has created a job for her brother and provided jobs to several people in her village.

Roja Reddy from Donehalli village, Challakere taluk in the district, was working for a Bengaluru-based IT company after finishing her engineering education. She returned home because of coronavirus-induced lockdown. She joined her father and brother and decided to undertake organic farming. Her parents initially resisted her idea, pointing out that their village suffers from shortage of water. But she eventually convinced them, used the time availed for agricultural activities, held discussions with many progressive farmers, and undertook organic farming. Initially she became the subject of ridicule at her hometown. But the lady moved ahead determined and grew 35 kinds of vegetables in six acres of land and earned lacs of rupees. The people of her village have now turned into her admirers.

Initially, Roja was interested in getting involved with farming when doing engineering but her parents had forced her to choose engineering field and go to Bengaluru for working. When working, she used to study during spare time, about organic farming methods. During the lockdown period, she got support from agricultural achievers from outside the state. She brought vegetable seeds from Belagavi, Maharashtra, and other places, and worked hard in her farmland. Now she is getting income of Rs 10,000 to 15,000 every day. Her father and brother, who were fed up with the agriculture and abandoned it, are now too busy. Roja, with her initiative, has provided work for several villagers.

Challakere taluk is known to suffer from drought year after year. Many farmers there have shelved agricultural activities because of water shortage. The girl took this as a challenge, and cultivated only six acres out of 15 acres of family land, dug a bore well and opted for drip irrigation. Initially she used dung and manure from cattle sheds to grow 35 kinds of vegetables including chilly, tomato, brinjal, cauliflower, etc which she herself sells in the market.

By developing an app she took to online marketing. She has been supplying organic vegetables to the people of several districts including Bengaluru and Udupi. She is getting good income as there is demand for organic vegetables. Many farmers keep coming to view the agricultural method she has adopted. She provides information about the importance of agriculture, and providing seeds for experimental use.

Roja plans to set up an online vegetable marketing company. She had plans of setting up online organic market company for supplying organic vegetables and improve health of the people. She has been educating people about organic farming, and income aspects. Her parents and fellow villagers are happy at her achievements.