From soil to profit: How organic farming transformed a tribal family's future

By Vikas Meshram* 

Every morning in Phalwa village of Rajasthan's Banswara district begins much like it has for generations. Farmers walk to their fields before sunrise, cattle are led out to graze, and the day's work starts with the hope that the land will once again provide. For most tribal families, farming is not merely an occupation but a way of life inherited across generations. Yet amidst these traditions, some farmers are quietly rewriting the future of agriculture by embracing new ideas without abandoning their roots. One such farmer is Mangalsingh Ganaga, whose journey into organic turmeric cultivation has transformed not only his family's income but also inspired many others in his village.

Phalwa, located in Anandpuri tehsil, is a predominantly tribal village where agriculture and animal husbandry remain the backbone of rural livelihoods. Mangalsingh owns six bighas of irrigated land on which he grows maize, black gram, sesame and Patharia rice during the kharif season, while wheat and chickpea are cultivated in winter. Like most farmers in the region, he also depends on livestock. His four buffaloes, three cows, two bullocks and five goats not only contribute to the household economy but also provide the organic manure that has now become central to his farming practices.

Although Mangalsingh spent years cultivating crops using conventional methods, he always believed there had to be better ways of farming. "I wanted to try something different on my farm," he recalls. "But I did not know where to begin or whom to ask."

The answer came through Lalita Makwana, a community facilitator with Vaagdhara, who introduced him to the organisation's Sachchi Kheti (True Farming) programme through the Gram Swaraj Samuh. The programme familiarised him with organic farming methods, explained their economic and environmental benefits, and encouraged him to experiment confidently on his own land. What had long been a desire gradually became a practical reality.

Among the crops discussed during the training, turmeric caught Mangalsingh's attention. For centuries, turmeric has occupied a unique place in Indian households. Beyond adding colour and flavour to food, it has long been valued in traditional medicine for the healing properties of curcumin, the natural compound responsible for its bright yellow colour. Because it is consumed almost every day in Indian kitchens, turmeric enjoys a steady market demand, making it an attractive crop for farmers seeking reliable income.

Armed with new knowledge, Mangalsingh began replacing chemical fertilisers and pesticides with farmyard manure and Dashparni extract prepared from locally available plant materials. Instead of devoting an entire field to turmeric, he adopted mixed cropping by cultivating maize alongside it, ensuring that one crop supported the family's food security while the other generated cash income.

Under the Sachchi Kheti programme, Vaagdhara provided him with five kilograms of turmeric seed, which he planted on a small plot measuring 20 by 25 feet. Around 400 kilograms of cow-dung manure from his own livestock enriched the soil, while regular guidance from trainers at the Farmer Field School helped him manage the crop from sowing to harvest. The turmeric was planted in the first week of July 2025 and harvested in May 2026.

The results exceeded his expectations. From just five kilograms of seed, Mangalsingh harvested nearly 60 kilograms of turmeric. Rather than selling the entire produce in raw form, he decided to add value by processing part of it into turmeric powder. Twenty kilograms of fresh turmeric were sold at ₹150 per kilogram, earning ₹3,000. Thirty kilograms were processed into powder and sold at ₹400 per kilogram, bringing in another ₹12,000. The remaining ten kilograms were preserved for household consumption and as seed for the next season.

Interestingly, Mangalsingh never had to search for buyers. The quality of his chemical-free turmeric spoke for itself. Satisfied customers recommended it to friends and neighbours, creating a chain of word-of-mouth marketing that helped him sell his produce without spending anything on promotion. In all, the small turmeric plot generated an income of ₹15,000, proving that thoughtful value addition can substantially increase returns even from limited land.

Behind this success stands another remarkable farmer—his wife, Shantidevi Ganaga. While Mangalsingh experimented with turmeric, Shantidevi transformed the family's backyard into a thriving nutrition garden under Vaagdhara's Poshan Vatika initiative. Equipped with a vegetable seed kit containing okra, cowpea, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, tomato, brinjal, cluster beans, fenugreek, spinach and chilli, she began cultivating vegetables primarily to improve her family's diet.

The garden soon achieved much more than that. Fresh vegetables regularly reached the family's kitchen, improving nutrition while reducing household expenses. The surplus found eager buyers in the local market. Over the course of a year, Shantidevi earned nearly ₹60,000 by selling vegetables, making an impressive contribution to the household income.

"These vegetables have improved both our health and our livelihood," she says. "The support and training from Vaagdhara encouraged us to adopt organic farming, and today we can see the difference in our fields as well as our income."

Both Mangalsingh and Shantidevi continue to participate in the Farmer Field School, where community facilitators provide hands-on training in organic farming practices. Beyond technical lessons, these sessions have become spaces where farmers exchange experiences, discuss challenges and learn from one another. Such continuous support has enabled many families to adopt sustainable farming methods with greater confidence.

The Ganaga family's experience illustrates an important principle of resilient agriculture: diversification. Their traditional food crops ensure household food security, turmeric generates cash income, livestock provides organic manure, and the nutrition garden delivers both better health and an additional source of earnings. Together, these activities reduce the risks posed by crop failure, fluctuating prices and uncertain weather while strengthening the family's economic stability.

The story of Mangalsingh and Shantidevi Ganaga is ultimately about much more than turmeric or vegetables. It is about how knowledge, timely guidance and the courage to experiment can transform rural livelihoods. Their journey demonstrates that sustainable farming is not simply an environmental choice—it is also a practical pathway to prosperity. As more tribal farmers embrace organic cultivation, diversify their farms and add value to their produce, stories like theirs offer hope that agriculture can remain both profitable and sustainable for generations to come.

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*Contact: vikasmeshram04@gmail.com