The Solitary Reaper

Anita Negi's journey from being a small farmer to a successful entrepreneur has inspired many farmers, especially women, in the hill state of Himachal

- ASHWANI SHARMA

INNOVATION can help script successful turnaround stories—stories that can inspire others and help break stereotypes. Anita Negi, 52, a farmer living in the remote Talagali village in Banjar sub-division in Kullu—which happens to be one of the least developed regions in Himachal Pradesh—has scripted one such turnaround story that has the potential to inspire others, especially women farmers who are keen to become entrepreneurs. By adopting innovative farming techniques, she now manages to earn Rs 40 lakh a year—no debt, no banking liabilities.

Negi has been a farmer for the past 25 years, ever since she got married. “We used to grow garlic, cabbage, peas and tomatoes and the profit was also good. However, we used to spray chemical fertilisers and gradually realised that it was destroying the fertility of our land. The near-absence of enzyme activity, apart from lack of microbial growth, was a clear sign of poor soil health,” she says. High input costs and declining productivity were other major concerns.