Samman 2024 : Rahul Maurya: Inspiring story of an agri startup by a young farmer from Gorakhpur

Rahul Maurya, a resident of Muglan Sirsia alias Bharav Liya village in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh, dreamed of transforming farming from a traditional profession to an entrepreneurial model. Born in 1993, Rahul, despite having limited resources and 1-5 acres of land, adopted an approach that combines farming with innovation and professionalism. He aims to not only strengthen his financial position but also become an inspiration for other farmers.

The journey to the beginning

Rahul Maurya explains:

“Farming is not just a profession for me, it is my identity and my family tradition. But I realised that traditional farming gives us only limited income. So I decided to look at it as a business.”

This approach of innovation and entrepreneurship in farming led him towards becoming an ‘agripreneur’. Though he had no formal awards or government support, his confidence and hard work kept pushing him forward.

Agriculture Startup: A New Initiative

Rahul focused on farming as well as agriculture-related entrepreneurship.

Key features of his startup:

1. Sustainable farming: His farming is completely organic and eco-friendly.

2. Crop diversification: Rahul started cultivating fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants in addition to traditional crops.

3. Marketing strategy: Selling the products directly in the local market, thereby eliminating middlemen and increasing profits.

The crops grown in his farm are not only of quality but also have a growing demand in the market.

Challenges and solutions

Rahul had many challenges in his journey, such as limited resources, lack of technical know-how, and access to the market at an early stage.

He took the following steps to overcome these challenges:

1. Engagement with the local community: Rahul shared new farming techniques with other farmers.

2. Acquisition of technical knowledge: He learned advanced farming methods by taking training from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK).

3. Direct contact with customers: He created a network locally for direct sales of his products.

Economic impact and employment generation

Rahul’s startup has not only been helpful in increasing his income but has also become a source of employment for other farmers and youth in his village.

Impact of his efforts:

• Increase in income: Currently Rahul’s annual income is between Rs 6-10 lakh.

Employment generation: His startup has inspired local youth to get involved in farming and related activities.

• Boost to local economy: The organic crops produced by him are in high demand in the local market.

Benefits of government schemes

Although Rahul has not directly benefitted from any government scheme so far, he is aware of how beneficial schemes like drip irrigation, solar pumps, and schemes encouraging organic farming can be for farmers like him.

Importance of government schemes:

1. Drip irrigation: Helpful in conserving water and reducing production costs.

2. Subsidy for organic farming: Subsidy on organic fertilizers and pesticides makes farming cheaper.

3. Market linkage: Platforms provided by the government provide small farmers access to larger markets.

Future plans

Rahul Maurya plans to take his startup to the next level.

His goals include:

1. Technological innovation: He wants to incorporate technologies such as drones and IoT (Internet of Things) in his farm.

2. Crop processing unit: To set up a processing unit to convert his produce into value-added products.

3. Empowering rural youth: To inspire youth to take up entrepreneurship in agriculture.

Rahul says:

“My dream is that the youth of my village see farming as a business, not just a tradition.”

Inspiration for farmers

Rahul Maurya’s startup and his vision are inspirational not only for the farmers of his village, but for farmers across the region.

Rahul Maurya success mantras:

• Innovative thinking and ability to take risks.

Emphasis on organic farming and sustainable farming.

• Solidarity and collaboration among farmers.

Conclusion

Rahul Maurya’s story proves that despite limited resources, if one works with determination and innovation, great achievements can be achieved. His startup and his journey is an inspiration for every youth who wants to do something new in farming.

As Rahul says:

“Farming is not just a business of hard work, but also of thinking and attitude.”