Why this techie left a job in USA to become an organic farmer in India

We got two ground-breaking farming entrepreneurs - Shankar Venkataraman (Bhoomi Farms) and Shashi Kumar (Akshayakalpa Organic) - to sit together and discuss organic farming in the country for the second episode of Slow Cooked. In a free-wheeling chat, they exchange learnings on the realities of becoming a farmer in India - from battling uncertain climate to convincing consumers to support organic farming.

While methodologies sometimes differed, Shankar and Shashi were able to find the middle ground in topics such as the absence of farming schools in the country, the influence of seed and pesticide manufacturers, and the need to convince farmers to adopt organic methods that prioritise long-term soil health.

The agripreneurs also stressed on the need for more localized research and community networks to share knowledge and support organic farmers. Despite the umpteen hurdles, they emphasized the need to push forward, motivated by the dream of a sustainable future for Indian agriculture.

So why did Shankar leave a lucrative job in the USA to pursue his passion of transforming Indian farming? And how has it been going for him since coming to India and working with farmers?

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
06:10 Organic food production in India
10:50 Production systems and issues in farming
18:34 Working with farmers
24:50 Optimal farming models
39:55 Consumer education on nutritious food
47:17 Educating the farmers
58:44 Will youth return to farming?

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