How this Kerala woman is turning rocky lands into profitable, lush green fields

Thirty-five-year-old Sreevidya from Bedadukka panchayat in Kasargod, Kerala, has been transforming barren, rocky lands in and around her village into a thriving green haven for the last ten years. A former accounts manager who left her desk job to pursue agriculture full-time, she has since become a pioneer of sustainable and profitable farming.

Sreevidya is leading the way with sustainable practices, bold experiments, and a vision that farming can be both viable and inspiring.

From desk job to profitable farming

“I come from a farming family, but I started farming only after 2012. At the time, I was working as an accounts manager in a private travel agency. But the pull of the soil was stronger. So I began farming,” Sreevidya tells 30Stades. 

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“Over the next five years from then, I converted the rocky land around my home into cultivable area,” she says. Two years ago, she resigned from her desk job to devote her time fully to farming.

Today, Sreevidya practices precision farming across six acres, of which she owns two acres. The rest are leased patches of land around her village. 

Her farming strategy is four-pronged. First, she makes the land fertile by adding soil and organic manure, and then she plants seasonal crops according to market demand. The third is precision farming to give crops exactly what is required, and the fourth involves direct marketing to avoid middlemen. These result in bumper harvests and high profits.

“We use drip irrigation and sensors so that crops get exactly what they need, water and nutrients in the right quantity and at the right time. Data on soil, crop health, and weather help us manage variations in the field, saving resources while boosting yields. So I have found this efficient and profitable,” she notes.

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Turning rocks into greens

The land around Sreevidya’s house was mostly stone and rock. Many said there was no way to farm here, that it was impossible. Water was scarce, so careful and judicious use was essential. 

Undeterred, Sreevidya brought in truckloads of soil to add to the rocky land. Many green vegetables, shallow-rooted vegetables and flowers can thrive in shallow soil beds. 

Sreevidya then carved out waterways and used rainwater harvesting to capture and manage water efficiently. This made the land cultivable. 

She began planting one crop at a time, like tapioca, banana, papaya, and palm trees, gradually turning the barren land green. Over time, she expanded into livestock, adding cows and hens. 

Sreevidya is also the first in Kasargod to introduce Biofloc fish farming. Biofloc culture is a fish farming technique where the water does not need to be changed. “It’s a sustainable method where fish waste is converted into protein-rich biomass,” the woman farmer says.

The nutrient-rich effluent from biofloc fish ponds is a good, natural fertiliser for plant growth. 

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Short-term crops, smart choices

Because much of the land she works on is leased, Sreevidya focuses on short-term crops between November and May. “On one farm, we take two cycles. Watermelon takes about three months to harvest, and after that, we plant brinjal, cucumber, or another quick crop,” she explains. 

Vegetable farming is the mainstay: cabbage, cauliflower, ladies’ fingers, brinjal, beans, and more. The vegetables sell at an average of Rs 50 per kg, depending on the variety.

“With limited farming land in my place, we depend on plots, which become available after a harvest. During that short window, we have to grow crops that are in demand but not in much supply, so that it becomes profitable. The idea is to try something innovative that will catch buyers’ interest,” she says.

“I cultivated five varieties of watermelon, and that caught many people’s attention,” she says. Above all, customers keep returning because her farm assures them fresh, organic produce.

Experiments that paid off

From growing sunflowers to strawberries, Sreevidya has experimented with many firsts in her region. 

Her willingness to try new ideas became her strength. During the COVID-19 lockdown, fish farming turned into a surprise success. “That time it was a big hit. The market downturn later forced her to scale it down. I also explored honeybee farming and several other ventures. Most of these experiments, carried out on her two-acre plot, found success. I like experimenting. That is how I learn and improve,” she says.

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Innovation extends beyond the harvest. She planted sunflowers as an intercrop with watermelons, creating a bright spectacle last season. “We have seen people flocking to many sunflower fields in other states. So I thought of doing something similar in Kasargod. And when I did sunflower farming on a roadside plot, the reception it received was unbelievable,” she says. 

“People came to see the sunflower fields, take photos, and ended up buying watermelons,” she says with a smile. 

The sunflower seeds were pressed for oil, ensuring nothing went to waste.

Direct marketing

Instead of relying on middlemen, Sreevidya has built a direct-to-customer model. “Customers come to my farm or home to buy fresh produce. Whatever is surplus, I give to Horticorp,” she says. 

This direct connection gives her better returns and builds trust in her produce. She says farming today is not only about cultivation. Farmers must know marketing too. Using social media to reach buyers and avoiding middlemen helps ensure better profits.

A mentor and resource person

Her work extends to the wider community. Sreevidya is a Master Farmer for Kudumbashree workers and a resource person for Kerala Responsible Tourism. 

She has also registered her farm with the Responsible Tourism Mission of Kerala. “My dream is to invite more people for farm tours, help them understand where their food comes from, and sell the produce directly,” she says.

Her efforts have been widely recognised. In 2020, she received the Kerala Government’s Best Young Farmer Award.  Farm tourism, she believes, is the next step. “It’s not fully developed yet, but my plan is to expand and make it a model,” she notes. Even strawberries, rare in Kasargod, found their place in her experimental plots.

For Sreevidya, farming is more than a livelihood. It is her calling. “Farming is not just about income. It’s about educating people about the endless possibilities. My approach is rooted in mixed farming, combining crops and livestock, agritourism for sustainability, and revenue generation. I feel motivated when someone says it can’t be done, and I get to find a way to make it work. So I want to show that farming can be a viable full-time profession, and I am just looking to experiment more, educate more, and set a model,” she signs off. 

(Chandhini R is a Kerala-based journalist specialising in human interest, entertainment, and art and culture stories)

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