When faced with adversity, resilient individuals rise to the occasion. This is what Manjit Kaur, a woman farmer who resides in Nila Naloia village of Hoshiarpur, Punjab learned in her life.
Till 2008, much like other farmers in the region, she too harvested sugarcane via the traditional farming method. However, a personal tragedy led her to change course and shift focus towards organic farming. It all came about when Kaur’s daughter was diagnosed with cancer.
The doctor stated that the cases of cancer were on the rise due to the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in crops. After hearing this, Kaur and her family were deeply influenced by the idea of organic farming.
From then on, she began to grow vegetables on her familial 17-acre land. She was associated with a project initiated by the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Hoshiarpur, in 2008-09, aimed at assisting self-help groups and the Kandi area. During this project, she got the opportunity to enrol in training courses at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bahowal. She also participated in all the training courses organized by KVK. Through these training sessions, Kaur gained technical knowledge about elevating her farming practices to a commercial level.
Currently, in a joint family setup, Kaur along with her family members employs nearly 20 farmers. Her family grows turmeric, ginger, gur, and much more. Alongside, they also follow practices such as beekeeping, dairy farming, and poultry as well as manufacture namkeen and dahi boondi.
Interestingly, Kaur won the Sadarni Prakash Kaur Sra Memorial Award. She was nominated by a jury that came on the ground to inspect her methods. Additionally, since 2013, she has been using compost made from cow dung in her fields.
Currently, her produce is sold at Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur as well as through KVKs. She is also part of several women-led groups wherein she educates others about mandi rates, accurate irrigation practices, marketing, and selling of produce.
The proud farmer and entrepreneur says, “A woman must do everything for the family. For her, the child’s health is most important. Following this approach, profit happened consequently for me; this was my biggest motivation.”
