Mango Mushrooms and Women Farm Revivers

Dear Reader,

The more I interact with our farmers, the more I learn from their spirit of sustainability and low-cost innovations. Giving up is never an option for them. They work on improving soil, seeds, irrigation, and crops, doing whatever it takes to ensure a good harvest at the lowest costs.

In rural India, this spirit shines brightest, where farmers turn limitations into strengths and scarcity into opportunity. One of them is Rajendra Kumar Sahu, and I am glad I had an opportunity to speak to him at length. A triple-MA (in Sanskrit, Hindi and Social Work), he grows paddy straw mushrooms under mango trees in Chhattisgarh.

His work stands out for multiple reasons. Rajendra prevents the burning of paddy straw (parli) in about 200 acres of farms by procuring it to make mushroom beds. He has prolonged the crop cycle of paddy straw mushrooms from four to seven months by using shade under mango trees (all the details are in the story).

He has trained thousands of farmers in mushroom farming at zero fee. And he earns Rs 10,000 per day by selling 50kg of paddy straw mushrooms. He told me how the shade of mango trees provides the right temperature for mushroom growth, even in peak summer, and the transpiration from leaves ensures adequate humidity.

I suggest you read his story because it has a potent combination of innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship and inspiration.

My colleague Malay wrote an interesting story on Anusuya and Kasinath Jena from Odisha. The husband-wife duo has built a zero-waste enterprise that upcycles banana farming waste into food, fibre and utility products. They pay farmers for collecting their waste, clear the fields for free, and reported a turnover of Rs 1 crore in the last fiscal.

The 100 types of products include banana stem juice, pickles, papads, bags, fibre and organic fertilisers. The farmers are happy receiving money for stems and saving labour costs on clearing the fields. The couple aims to generate a Rs 10 crore turnover by 2030, given the high demand for their products.

To read our earlier newsletters, click here

My colleague Riya has put together an inspiring piece on five women farmers who turned their loss-making family farms into profitable enterprises. The story shows that not only are women excellent farmers,  they are also brilliant strategists.

By reviving failing farms, these women (including two engineers and one MBA) have proven that planning, strategic thinking, right decision-making and risk-taking ability can literally change fortunes. This is a piece close to my heart. Do look it up.

For the weekend feature, my colleague Anu wrote about the rising popularity of bamboo shoots due to their health benefits. Earlier confined to seasonal village markets in the Northeast and the Western Ghats, bamboo shoots are entering urban Indian kitchens. Driven by interest in fermented foods and traditional nutrition, this forest produce is finding relevance beyond its tribal roots. And it makes for an interesting read!

Happy Reading!

Warmly,

Rashmi

Chhattisgarh farmer earns Rs 10,000 daily by growing mushrooms under mango trees; curbs stubble burning

Odisha couple turns banana farm waste into a Rs 1-crore business, boosts farmers' incomes

Five women farmers who turned struggling family farms into profitable enterprises

Bamboo shoots: From forest staple to fermented health food