Done thoughtfully and with the right technique, farming can change a farmer's fortunes. A woman farmer in Bahraich district has shown exactly that. To boost her earnings she has adopted a method in which wheat brings in a big lump-sum payment, while a vegetable crop of lobia (cowpea) keeps small amounts of cash flowing in every single day.
Who Is Maya Devi
A resident of Katra Bahadurganj village in Bahraich district, Maya Devi has been growing wheat and maize for a long time. That work has earned her a distinct reputation in the district, where she is known for cultivating a variety of crops.
A Daily Need Sparked a New Idea
Speaking exclusively to TrendKia, Maya Devi explained that wheat farming does bring income, but it arrives as a single lump sum. Running a household, however, requires money every day. To meet that need she has taken up lobia farming inside a net house. Alongside it she also grows okra (bhindi) and a few other crops meant for her family's own kitchen. Once the produce is ready, traders come and collect it every second or third day, so some earning keeps coming in daily.
Good Earnings From Lobia
This season Maya Devi has already earned well from lobia. She points out that after the wheat harvest the field lies empty for some days. If a farmer sows lobia immediately once the field is free, the crop starts bearing comfortably within a month. Using this approach, she gets a return from lobia up to three times before paddy is transplanted. In this very gap between the wheat and paddy crops, Maya Devi earns thousands of rupees.
Organic Method, Almost No Cost
The biggest advantage of this farming is that it costs next to nothing, because Maya Devi grows her lobia entirely by organic methods. She keeps two cows, and uses their dung and urine to meet the field's manure and water needs.
