It is heartening to come across someone like Vikram Sagar, who has successfully made the leap from city life to full-time farming in native Coorg. Village Square chats with this young farmer who is transforming agriculture with innovative practices.
At 26 years of age, Vikram Sagar from Coorg has taken to farming professionally. Embracing sustainable and diverse farming practices, he has embarked on redefining traditional agriculture in his native land in Coorg, Karnataka.
In conversation with Village Square, Sagar talks about his journey from life in the city to agriculture, his inspirations and upcoming ventures.
Hailing from a quaint village called Kalkandur nestled in the lush landscapes of Coorg, Sagar grew up watching his family engaged in farming.
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“I used to help my parents at our farm back in my childhood,” Sagar tells Village Square. His fascination with agriculture and farming grew after watching “Krishi Darshan”, a popular television programme that aims at disseminating information on agriculture to rural or farming audiences.
Sagar found himself particularly fascinated by the modern and scientific farming methods showcased in the programme.
Even as he aspired to be a cricketer in his childhood, Sagar was keen on taking up farming as a hobby. “But now I am farming professionally and playing cricket as a hobby”, Sagar says.
While pursuing his Bachelors in Commerce, Sagar also worked as a part-time food delivery partner and describes the three years he spent in the city of Bengaluru as the hardest period of his life when he endured a hungry stomach, an empty pocket, and a broken heart.
After working briefly at an agri-tech start-up company called NinjaCart, he decided to return to his native place.
On a commercial scale, Sagar grows coffee, paddy, pepper, cardamom and fruits like bananas, avocado, Coorg mandarins, as well as seasonal vegetables.
Some of the farming techniques he uses include conventional farming, integrated farming, natural farming, permaculture and biodynamic farming.
Sagar is concerned by the over-reliance on monoculture by large-scale commercial farming establishments. Growing just one kind of crop could have an adverse impact on the environment eventually. He is also worried about the fate of small-scale farmers in the face of the rising powers of farming conglomerates.
He suggests community farming and the creation of farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) as a means to empower farmers collectively.
Sagar advocates for reducing dependence on external aid for inputs like seeds and manure.
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“We need to source inputs locally which should be regenerative or recycled in our farms. This will help to reduce farm expenses,” he notes. He emphasises the values of Mahatma Gandhi and recommends that “people from every state and district have to experiment and find agricultural solutions for themselves locally.” This is true given the diverse climatic conditions and geography of India.
Speaking of his other passions, Sagar tells Village Square that intensive farming activities have also enabled him to maintain his fitness and participate in national-level obstacle races.
Speaking of his other passions, Sagar tells Village Square that intensive farming activities have also enabled him to maintain his fitness and participate in national-level obstacle races.
Currently, he holds accolades from the Wild Warrior Race 2024 in Chennai and Devils Circuit 2024 in Mumbai. He also plays softball and cricket.
As a young farmer navigating the challenges of sustainable agriculture, Sagar faces a series of hurdles on his journey. While his family’s ancestral land provides a foundation, he mentions a lack of funds as a major challenge in pursuing experimental farming methods.
“As middle-class people we have enough land to survive but not enough money to do too many experiments,” Sagar admits.
Another significant issue he faces is the scarcity of skilled labour.
Today’s workforce, he notes, tends to focus solely on completing the day’s work rather than contributing to long-term farming goals.
Moreover, he also has to contend with social pressure as the community may not always understand his commitment to sustainable farming. Despite this, his passion for innovation and sustainability keeps him going.
Presently, Sagar is also exploring innovative avenues to diversify his work. He plans to introduce agro-tourism in his farmland where visitors can engage in hands-on farm tours to learn more about agriculture and enjoy a unique camping experience.
In addition to this, he is also working on the concept of a local, authentic cafe to provide visitors with a taste of local delicacies.
As a young farmer, Sagar is an inspiration for youth to take greater interest in the agricultural sector and sustainable farming. He believes they should venture into the farming sector, “not forcefully or as a last option”, but with proper knowledge and skill.
For Sagar, farming should be viewed less as a commercial or money-making venture and more as a lifestyle, to benefit from it holistically.
Also read: Young tribal woman transforms farming in rain-scarce Malkangiri
The lead image on top depicts the sprawling farm that former corporate employee, and now full-time farmer, Vikram Sagar, returned to in his native area Coorg. (Photo courtesy Vikram Sagar)
Aditi Sahoo is a third-year BA student at Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi. Aditi is passionate about communication, writing and research.
