Mathura/ Uttar Pradesh

It’s been 14 years since England-born entrepreneur Akshay Radia, who is in his 30s, returned to India. The founder of Ecological Partnerships, which helps develop regenerative agroforestry projects besides raising organic medicinal herbs,  grows various medicinal plants on his 20-hectare farm Van Vihar, on the Mathura-Vrindavan road. Besides this, paddy, maize and vegetables, all of which are organic, are raised on the leased land. He has also taken another 20 hectares on lease in Uttarakhand and raises medicinal plants and some vegetables. 

In the process, he has provided much-needed employment to numerous villagers in Chata tehsil in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh and in Uttarakhand. 

“In the initial days of my foray into organic farming, I had installed a filtration plant to irrigate crops with clean water. Thereafter, I put in place a drip irrigation system to ensure water conservation and optimum yield,” he told Gaon Connection.

Apart from this, Radia has also set up three separate nurseries for fruits, flowers and vegetables. “These help local farmers who buy plants from us,” Radia added. 

On his farm, Radia grows medicinal plants such as shatavar (a kind of asparagus), akarkara, ashwagandha, aloe vera, turmeric and tulsi. To handle this produce better, he has installed a small processing plant to convert them into 45 products, and supplies these to other states. 

In Uttarakhand, the leased farm grows produce that needs a cooler climate. “We promote climate-based farming, and after all these years, we now cultivate different crops in about 40 hectares acres of land,” Radia informed.

Radia said he earned Rs 20 lakh per annum from his medicinal farm in Mathura and Rs 15 lakh from the cultivation of other crops.  Radia has also diversified into beekeeping (apiculture). “We have 108 boxes on our farm; they not only have a good impact on farming but also provide us with pure honey,” he shared.

All this work on the field and his propagation of unique farming methods has been feted by farmers and district authorities. Radia wants more youngsters to get into organic farming. “When my friends in England ask me what I am doing in India, I tell them with great pride that I am a farmer here,” he said.

India’s real identity is agriculture, but many young people shirk away from it, Radia said. “I would ask people to cultivate varied crops using technology and work out various systems of processing and transport. This will help us economically, and keep us and our consumers in good health,” added Radia.