At the age of 65, when many opt for a quiet life of retirement, Reeva Sood defied convention by embarking on a remarkable journey of organic farming.
In Una, Himachal Pradesh, Reeva turned 30 acres of barren land into a flourishing organic farm of medicinal plants and dragon fruit, earning over Rs 50 lakh annually. Her inspiring story is one of perseverance, vision, and an unwavering commitment to natural farming practices.
A life-changing motivation
The journey from being a social worker to an agro-entrepreneur was not an easy transition for Reeva. The motivation to embrace organic farming came in 2012 when her husband, Dr Rajeev Sood, a doctor at RML Hospital, was diagnosed with cancer. Reflecting on the lifestyle choices that contributed to his illness, Reeva realised that chemical-laden foods had played a part. This revelation inspired her to lead by example and demonstrate the value of healthy living through organic practices.
Reeva’s Himachali roots drew her to Himachal Pradesh to begin this new chapter. With her husband’s health improving after chemotherapy, the couple bought 70 acres of barren land spread across three villages – Gunghrala, Akrot, and Behar Bithal – within the Behar Jaswan panchayat in 2015-16. “This land was available at nominal rates because it was rocky, uneven, and inaccessible by road,” Reeva explains. Despite its challenges, she saw potential in the land and resolved to cultivate it organically.
The land Reeva purchased was termed ‘khud,’ meaning dry and unusable. But for her, this rugged terrain had two advantages – no previous exposure to chemicals and minimal pollution since there were no factories or plastic waste in the vicinity. She also noticed that wild medicinal plants such as Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia Serpentina), Shatavari (Asparagus Racemosus), and Vasa (Adhatoda Vasica) were growing naturally on the land. This gave her the idea to cultivate medicinal plants on a larger scale.
Another challenge was making the barren soil suitable for farming. Staying true to her belief in natural farming, Reeva did not alter the land’s natural gradient but instead created footways and motorable roads to facilitate movement across the farm. To revitalise the soil, she adopted abandoned cows, often left by owners after they stopped producing milk, and used their dung and urine to create organic manure. “Our staff was trained to collect manure and urine, which we applied to the soil,” she says.
Reeva’s commitment to intercropping was another step towards optimising land use. Inspired by the local growth of cactus, she decided to plant dragon fruit, which belongs to the cactus family. “I travelled to Maharashtra to learn dragon fruit farming,” she recalls. The decision to intercrop medicinal plants and dragon fruit became a turning point, adding another layer of sustainability to her farm.
Growing success: Medicinal plants and dragon fruit
In 2018-19, Reeva harvested her first crop, marking a significant milestone in her journey. She planted various medicinal plants, including Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera), Moringa (Drumstick), Kalmegh (Andrographis Paniculata), Vetiver Grass, Tulsi, Stevia, and Turmeric. While some plants, such as Ashwagandha, mature within six months, others like Shatavari take over two years to yield.
The demand for these medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) is immense. They are sold as saplings, dry roots, powders, and extracts to farmers, medicine producers, and agriculture universities across India. Ashwagandha alone offers exceptional returns, with an investment of Rs 30,000 per acre yielding up to Rs 3 lakh per acre. This makes it a lucrative alternative to conventional crops like wheat.
Reeva’s farm also features a nursery of medicinal plants spread across 1.5 acres, housed within polyhouses. “We sell saplings at subsidised rates to farmers through government schemes such as the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) and NABARD,” she explains. Thanks to meticulous care and organic inputs, the mortality rate of plants remains below 3%, ensuring high success rates for those who adopt these practices.
In addition to medicinal plants, dragon fruit farming contributes significantly to Reeva’s income, bringing in Rs 20 lakh annually. Her farm currently has 30,000 dragon fruit plants, with plans to increase the count to 1 lakh plants. The American Beauty variety she cultivates is particularly resistant to pests and requires minimal water, making it ideal for the region’s climate. “Dragon fruit’s resilience is a blessing – it is unaffected by Nilgai or monkeys, which often damage local crops,” Reeva remarks.
Reeva’s innovative farming techniques have attracted the attention of both government and international organisations. The World Bank recently provided a grant to establish a dragon fruit juice factory on her farm. With an investment of Rs 2 crore, including a 35% contribution from the World Bank, the factory will become India’s first dragon fruit juice facility led by a woman entrepreneur. Reeva is determined to launch the project soon, enhancing value addition and creating employment opportunities in the region.
A key principle of Reeva’s farming is self-reliance. “Nothing is bought from outside. Everything is prepared on the farm,” she says proudly. The staff produces vermicompost on-site and repurposes discarded dairy products like buttermilk from local farmers to create organic sprays. To make natural pesticides, they use ingredients such as turmeric, neem, and curry leaves. This sustainable approach has not only lowered input costs but also maintained the farm’s ecological balance.
An organic farm and an ecotourism destination
Beyond being a productive farm, Reeva’s land has also become an ecotourism hub, attracting students, farmers, and scientists from across India. Through workshops and tours, she shares her insights on organic farming, encouraging visitors to adopt chemical-free lifestyles. From primary school students to university researchers, Reeva educates them about sustainable agriculture and the importance of preserving the environment.
Reeva’s journey has not been without its challenges. Converting barren land into fertile soil required immense patience, hard work, and resilience. Securing funds and gaining acceptance for her unconventional methods posed further hurdles. However, her success has silenced sceptics. By adopting organic farming and intercropping, she has demonstrated that seemingly ‘useless’ land can become a profitable asset.
Her achievements have not only benefitted her financially but also created a positive impact on the environment and the community. Abandoned cows now have a home, and farmers in the region are learning to adopt sustainable practices.
A Vision for the Future
Reeva Sood’s story is an extraordinary example of how one person’s vision can transform lives and landscapes. Her commitment to organic farming has paved the way for a chemical-free future, and her plans to expand the dragon fruit plantation and establish a juice factory reflect her entrepreneurial spirit.
Reeva’s message is simple yet powerful: “Adopt an organic and natural way of life. Stop the use of chemicals in every form.” Through her work, she continues to inspire others to embrace sustainability and create a harmonious balance between agriculture and nature.
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