Protected Farming and Medicinal Plants

Dear Reader,

One does not always need degrees from top institutions to make a positive difference in the world around us. Simple acts of kindness and consideration for all life forms (plants and animals) also make the world a better place to live.

Mamata Biswal, a housewife in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, is a case in point. She has planted thousands of medicinal plants in schools, colleges, temples and municipal areas to protect biodiversity and reduce pressure on forests due to wild collection. As a result, people don’t have to go to forests to gather herbs like sarpagandha, ashwagandha, kalmegh etc., reducing man-animal conflict.

She told my colleague Niroj how her work has expanded to wildlife conservation and bird census. The humble housewife is helping hundreds of individuals and institutions cultivate medicinal plants.

From Ahmedabad, my colleague Aruna wrote about Shikha Shah and her startup AltMat, which is turning waste into wealth. It buys agricultural residue from farmers, preventing them from burning it and causing toxic emissions. 

AltMat can produce Rs30 crore worth of eco-friendly fibres, priced between Rs350 and Rs650 per kg. Its clients include Fortune 500 companies in Europe and US and Shikha is expanding the venture rapidly.

Last week, I spoke to Rahul Gupta, an MBA in Finance from the University of Wales, UK. He is now a farmer in his native place Tinsukia in Assam. Tired of the corporate routine, he quit his job and now grows vegetables in shaded structures in a protected environment. Unlike the harvesting season of about three months in open farming, he harvests veggies for eight months a year and clocks a turnover of Rs30 lakh from just 1.5 acres.

Our Sunday story is on Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal, Delhi’s 14th-century palace shrouded in mystery. If you are among those who like to read about lesser-known historical places, don’t miss this one.

In the Money section, my colleague Karan has detailed five steps to get out of high debt. So if you want to cut down on that home or car loan, you may want to look it up.

Happy Reading!

Warmly,
Rashmi