How this youth champions organic farming

In a generation where more and more youth move away from cultivation, migrating to big cities for wage work and job opportunities, Satyam Kumar, an honours graduate in chemistry, stands out for organic farming.  

He is not only determined to excel in agriculture but is passionate about helping other farmers and changing the public perception that farming is a lost cause. 

At 23, Kumar from Deepnagar village in Biharsharif block of Nalanda district in Bihar is the youngest chairperson of the Agriculture Technology Management Agency or ATMA. But how did he get there?

Following his father’s footsteps    

Satyam Kumar’s interest in agriculture grew when scientists from the agriculture department and other local organisations visited the farm of his father Surendra Ram. In a compact parcel of 4 acres of land, with groundwater irrigation, Ram, an organic farmer, grows a variety of fruits and vegetables. He also runs a vermicompost unit.  

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Since 2004, Satyam used to tag along with his father when he took his produce to kisan melas in many places. Seeing his father win several prizes at various exhibitions and being praised by prominent scientists, a young and determined Satyam decided in 2006 to walk his father’s path. 

Krishi melas are held year-round in sync with the agriculture calendar. Aam mahotsav happens in May – June during the peak mango season. Vegetables, fruits, honey and vermicompost melas are held in February in places such as Patna or Bhagalpur. 

At block-level melas, farmers from that block exhibit their produce in their assigned spots. Scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) research station or Krishi Vigyan Kendra, or even from other states, judge the produce based on colour, size, quality and other factors. 

When barely 18, Kumar progressed from accompanying his father to becoming their agrarian family’s ambassador at these melas. 

Formal training 

After finishing intermediate at 18, Kumar underwent several training programmes – in mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, organic farming and preparing vermicompost – conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Harnaut, Horticulture College in Noor Sarai and by the state agriculture department. 

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Over the years, Satyam has attended multiple agricultural training programmes covering a wide variety of topics including a 10-day training on creating hybrid pulse seeds conducted by the Indian Institute of Seed Science. He equipped himself by attending workshops in natural farming, dairy farming, farmer orientation and agriculture marketing.

After he underwent an extensive 45-day beekeeping programme facilitated by KVK Harnaut Kaushal Vikas (Skill India) in January 2022, Kumar bought bee boxes with a government subsidy of 75 percent for which farmers who complete the training are eligible. 

He urges his fellow farmers to attend these free training courses and then makes them aware of the relevant schemes that they can avail of on completion of training.

Chairperson of ATMA

At 23, Kumar is the youngest chairperson of the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) in Bihar Sharif administrative block. ATMA is a society in 691 districts in the country that endeavours to make the latest agricultural technologies and good agricultural practices available to farmers. 

Kumar remembers the date: 28 January 2022. It was the day when out of 25 applicants in Bihar Sharif block, he was selected as ATMA’s chairperson. Although there were criticisms for making him a chairperson at such a young age, his selection was based on his extensive knowledge comparable to that of experts, recognitions through prizes he had won in various kisan melas and endorsement of prominent scientists, the district agriculture officer and ATMA’S project director.  

Chairpersons from the 20 blocks of Nalanda and other members of ATMA meet twice a year – synchronising with the rabi and kharif seasons – with the district-level officers to get updated on the recent developments and schemes. 

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If a farmer in his block has queries or problems about availing the benefit of a government scheme, they approach Satyam Kumar, and he acts as the bridge between officials working on that scheme and the farmers. He also advises farmers on recent technologies and modern ways of farming.  

Passion for organic farming 

Between 2019 and 2023, Kumar received several awards in various agricultural exhibitions and competitions, showcasing different crops like potatoes, radishes, brinjal and ginger. Alongside his farming accomplishments, Kumar took part in NTS Talent Hunt and Science Olympiad, indicating his strong passion for agriculture.

Agriculture is a vast and interconnected field where Kumar tries to excel. For example, Kumar sells not only honey as part of beekeeping but also wax, bee venom and bees. For his apiary, he cultivates mustard to support the bees. 

Milk from the recently started dairy is mostly for sale, and some for consumption at home. The cow dung is used in the vermicompost plant and cow urine is used in making insecticide for the crops. He has also started saghan baagwani or a high-density orchard (method of planting multiple fruit varieties in a limited area) where he has alternately planted mango and guava plants at 3 feet distance in a one-acre area. The trees are frequently pruned to contain their growth, thus getting the same number of fruits as from full-sized trees in less area and more frequently.

An ambassador for agriculture

When asked why he did not pursue a job after graduating in chemistry, Kumar flashed a big smile and said that he was happy with what he was doing. He believes that the purpose of intermediate or graduation-level studies is not to land a job but to be educated. 

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Seeing his friends getting caught in 9-to-5 jobs, he feels that there is more freedom, happiness and satisfaction in pursuing agriculture and it’s akin to a full-time job, for you are your boss and employee. Your identity is not determined by the company but by your work. 

Agribusiness, if done right, is profitable and Satyam urges the readers to rethink their negative view of agriculture. Kumar’s organic farming produce has found a local market and proved to be a profitable business. 

A farmer needs to be educated in intensive farming and use the knowledge to make a profit even from a small land holding. Satyam Kumar’s agricultural journey was inspired by his father, but today he is a leader in his own right, proudly identifying himself as a farmer. His goal is to get the farmers the respect they deserve.

Also Read: Organic farming for better yields takes wing in Gujarat

Satyam Kumar with the organic ginger harvested from his farm (Photo by Kinshuk Ghosh)

Kinshuk Ghosh is a second-year student at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, pursuing B Sc, B Ed in physics.