In Purnia district of Bihar, a village called Naya Tola Thada has built its entire identity around one occupation: farming. Nearly 99% of the people living here still depend on agriculture for their livelihood, at a time when many villages across the country are steadily moving away from farming toward other jobs.
A village where farming comes first for everyone
Naya Tola Thada falls under the Harda panchayat of Purnia district and lies barely 8 kilometres from the district headquarters. In this village, almost every household, young or old, treats farming as their first priority. Only a handful of residents here are employed in government jobs, the rest continue to till the land, generation after generation.
Both young and old share the same passion for the fields
What makes Naya Tola Thada stand out across Purnia district is that farming interests both its youth and its elderly equally. Local residents, including Vijay Singh, Bhola Singh, Harendra Kumar, Pankaj Kumar and 73 year old Ramchandra Singh, along with several other villagers, said that even today 99% of people in the village remain dependent on farming. For them, agriculture is not just an occupation, it is the biggest source of household income. They pointed out that farmers here keep experimenting with new crops and modern farming techniques, which has helped the village earn a name across the district for its constant innovation in the fields.
A tradition that traces back 55 years to Vaishali
According to the villagers, farming in Naya Tola Thada did not begin on its own. About 55 years ago, a group of people who had come from Vaishali settled here and started cultivating the land for the first time. What began as the effort of these settlers has since grown into the primary occupation of almost the entire village, passed down through the decades.
The biggest supplier to Harda market's vegetable mandi
That legacy shows up directly in the local vegetable trade. Villagers said that day after day, it is the farmers of Naya Tola Thada who carry the largest quantity of vegetables to sell at the vegetable mandi in Harda market. Residents also confirmed that the highest vegetable production anywhere in the district comes from this one village alone, making it an essential link in the district's food supply chain.
Government recognition and a push from young farmers
Villagers further said that while only a select few in Naya Tola Thada hold government jobs, 99% of the population remains fully dependent on agriculture. By adopting new crops and modern farming methods, the village's farmers keep moving forward with each passing season. The younger generation, too, has shown particular enthusiasm for farming, and as a result, several youths from this village have been encouraged by the government at exhibitions showcasing their agricultural work. Taken together, these details explain why Naya Tola Thada continues to be discussed across Purnia district as a farming village unlike any other.
