Cool Bihari: July 2011

Friday, July 08, 2011

IITians leave cushy jobs to work with farmers

A farming initiative by the two IITians Shashank and Manish has helped the villagers of Bihar's Vaishali district earn three times what they used to earn a year ago. The initiative has been introduced in 30 villages so far.

The two IITians who refused to pursue a cushy and lucrative career and decided to work at the grassroots. They headed to Bihar to help farmers get a better life. The conventional farming is now being turned into scientific farming, new crops are being experimented and the bumper harvest is already changing the facet of the region. Not only this IIT duo, but thousands of farmers are benefited in the process.

'Farms and Farmers', the name of their farming initiative, has now become a household name. The initiative has helped farmers learn and implement new techniques such as water harvesting and organic farming. Each technique is tailored to the soil content and land size. Cash crops such as rajma and flowers have replaced the conventional rice and wheat farming in the region.

Labels: Agri Business, Agricultural Innovation, Entrepreneurship, IIT, Innovation, Social Entrepreneurs