Food Forest Engineer and Marigold MBA

Dear Reader,

One of life’s greatest privileges is growing up with grandparents. They are a reservoir of unconditional love and quiet wisdom, lessons that might otherwise take us years to learn and absorb. Often, their influence shapes who we become later in life.

That is why, despite studying IT engineering and spending a decade working with multinational companies, Shihab Kunhahammed returned to his childhood love of planting trees and watching them grow. He planted his first tree while still in class five, inspired by his grandmother, who was 90 at the time.

Today, Shihab has planted more than a lakh trees, creating over a thousand food forests and about a hundred micro-forests on barren lands. His work has covered seven states so far, and he aims to replicate his food forest model beyond India as well.

Shihab told me he follows only natural and organic farming methods for greening degraded lands. The food forests have seven layers of trees comprising fruits, vegetables, and spices. They not only provide food but also become home to bees, birds, butterflies, and other forms of biodiversity. Shihab helps small farmers without a fee and charges a fee from big landowners.

My colleague Niroj wrote yet another story that reiterates that overcoming challenges can be difficult, but it is not impossible.  He spoke to Manas Ranjan Das, who has built a low-cost mushroom farming unit despite suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis. Manas used bamboo stalks and shade nets to build his unit, which generates a monthly turnover of Rs 2 lakh.

He cultivates oyster and paddy straw mushrooms, processes the excess into powder, and prepares pickles and other products for sale in exhibitions and fairs.

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Last week, my colleague Riya spoke with Ravi Pal, an MBA who left his job at Kotak Mahindra Prime in Delhi to start marigold farming in his hometown, Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh. He grows the flowers over two acres, sourcing saplings from Kolkata for local sale. While his annual turnover is Rs 24 lakh, there are other reasons why he finds the work fulfilling.

He is happier being with his family and friends and without a boss. “I am my own boss and sleep without an alarm clock,” he chuckles. And that is a big draw for most professionals shifting to farming.

Our weekend feature is on the Asirgarh Fort in Madhya Pradesh. Spread over three layers, the fort conceals a labyrinth of underground tunnels, chambers, and passageways that have fueled military strategy and mystery for centuries. Connecting water reservoirs, granaries, and armouries, they were sealed by the British out of fear of enemies and of the unknown. It makes for an interesting read. Do look it up!

Happy Reading!

Warmly,

Rashmi

IT engineer quits job to turn barren lands into food forests, plants over a lakh trees

MBA quits Delhi job for flower farming in UP, clocks Rs 24 lakh turnover from 2 acres

Odisha farmer builds low-cost mushroom unit; clocks Rs 2 lakh monthly

Asirgarh: The fort with secret tunnels and hidden water channels