We live in a world where the use of chemicals in farming has become the norm, and it takes a lot of courage to shift to organic farming. But for one farmer in Telangana, this decision has not only improved his productivity but also increased his income.

Meet Venkanna, a small farmer from a Patimeedhi village in Telangana. Like many other farmers in the region, Venkanna Rajesh was struggling to get the desired yield from the land. Despite working hard and using chemical fertilisers and pesticides, his crops were not yielding the desired results. He was barely able to make enough money to sustain his family.

Unaware of organic manure, he has been investing money in chemical fertilisers and pesticides for his chilli and paddy cultivation on his one acre of land. His monthly income was only Rs. 3500–4000, which was not sufficient to meet his family’s needs.

It was during this time that Venkanna attended a training programme by Lodi Multipurpose Social Service Society under the U3 programme on the benefits of organic farming and how to improve productivity and income. U3 is a cluster programme supported by Misereor and Caritas India to foster and secure self-sustaining climate-resilient, resilient, and adaptive agriculture and livelihoods through community-owned processes. The programme focused on the benefits of organic farming and how it can improve the quality of soil and increase crop yield.

Initially, Venkanna was sceptical about the idea of organic farming but gradually started cultivating vegetables using organic farming methods, including preparation and use of “Jeevamurtham” and Organic pest repellents. He experimented on his half-acre land to cultivate Sorghum, an ancient grain cereal that is naturally gluten-free and contains higher amounts of protein, Iron, Fibre, minerals, and vitamins. He also cultivated his other half-acre with different indigenous vegetables: tomatoes, Ridge gourd, Bitter gourd, and leafy vegetables.

The results were surprising; he was able to get a good yield and started selling vegetables in the local market situated 20 km from his village. This has enabled him to sell the products directly to the customer without going through any middlemen. With Sorghum cultivation, he yields around 400 kg annually. He consumed 100 kg for his family and sold the balance in the market at Rs. 50 per kg, making a profit of Rs. 15000. From vegetable sales, he earned around Rs. 5000 to Rs. 7000 every month. He makes around 4500–6000 rupees per month after the investment cost of nearly Rs. 1000/- only. He can save some more money for himself and the family.

Today, Vekanna’s income has increased by 75% because she practises organic farming. He can provide for his family and invest in his farm. He has become a role model for other farmers in the Patimeedhi Thanda.

Looking at the future, Venkanna plans to extend his vegetable garden with different types of vegetables in an organic system and continue the same in the coming years. His story is a testament that by making small changes in his farming practices, we could improve productivity, increase income, and contribute towards a healthier environment.