Agriculture remains a major source of livelihood for rural families in India, but farmers often struggle with poor irrigation facilities, low crop productivity and fluctuating market prices. To improve their earnings, many are turning to modern agricultural techniques, including drip irrigation, plastic mulching and protected cultivation, while exploring high-value crops.
One such farmer is Gansu Mahto from Sadma village in the Ormanjhi block of Ranchi district, Jharkhand.
Despite growing up in a financially struggling family, Mahto returned to farming after working as a daily-wage construction labourer. Today, he generates around Rs 60 lakh in annual revenue from cultivating vegetables, flowers and traditional crops, reported Startup Pedia.
Gansu Mahto's Early Life And Struggles
Born into a financially struggling family near Ranchi, Mahto grew up with three brothers and owned 9 acres of ancestral farmland. But the land was of limited use and could support the family for only six months a year due to poor soil quality and a lack of irrigation facilities.
Mahto completed his matriculation in 1996 and later pursued an Intermediate of Arts course at RTC College in Dardag, Ormanjhi, Jharkhand. He travelled around 17 km by bicycle to attend college. Financial constraints eventually forced him to discontinue his education after Class 12.
As the eldest of three brothers, Mahto began working as a daily-wage construction labourer in Ranchi in 1997 to support himself. At 18, he travelled around 25 km each way by bicycle, covering nearly 50 km daily through forest areas with poor roads and no bridges. He earned Rs 50 a day and worked four to five days a week.
One day, a difficult experience at work eventually pushed him to reconsider his future. After completing a tiring day of labour, Mahto took a short rest but was reprimanded by his supervisor. The incident made him question his dependence on daily wages and consider returning to his family's agricultural roots.
“I wanted to work independently instead of depending on someone else for my daily wages. Although our family had farmland, the productivity was low, so I decided to find ways to improve it,” Gansu Mahto told Startup Pedia.
How Gansu Mahto Started High-Value Farming
Mahto's journey into high-value agriculture began in 1998 when he noticed a farmer from Sutiambe village selling capsicum at Pithoria market. Since the crop was unfamiliar to farmers in 10 to 15 nearby villages, he saw an opportunity to experiment with it.
He cultivated capsicum on a small plot measuring 0.15 acres and earned Rs 1.2 lakh from the crop that year. The results encouraged him to explore new crops and farming methods.
In 2000, Mahto was selected for a government para-teacher position. However, when a villager approached him and explained that his family had no source of income, Mahto voluntarily gave up the appointment in the villager's favour. He decided to focus entirely on agriculture.
At the time, his family primarily cultivated traditional crops such as rain-fed paddy, finger millet and maize, along with seasonal vegetables. Irrigation remained a major challenge, with farmers drawing water from shallow wells using ropes and wooden levers.
“Water management was a major challenge for us. Drip irrigation helped me supply water directly to the plants, while plastic mulching helped retain soil moisture and control weeds. These methods changed how I managed cultivation on my farm,” Mahto told Startup Pedia.
Over the years, he adopted drip irrigation, plastic mulching and organic farming practices to improve crop productivity, conserve water and make better use of his farmland.
From Vegetables To A Polyhouse With 40,000 Gerbera Plants
Mahto's farm now produces a variety of crops, including capsicum, brinjal, tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, watermelon, muskmelon, papaya, paddy and traditional millets.
He has also established a 4,000-square-metre polyhouse where he grows around 40,000 gerbera plants in 10 colours. His produce reaches local and regional markets, including Pithoria, Ranchi and Ramgarh. Wholesale traders also purchase crops directly from his farm.
Gansu Mahto's Annual Farming Income
Mahto generates around Rs 60 lakh in annual revenue from his farming business. After accounting for operating expenses, labour costs and agricultural inputs, his estimated net profit stands at approximately Rs 30 lakh.
Beyond his own farm, Mahto has worked to share his knowledge with other farmers and agriculture students. He has trained more than 15,000 people in organic farming, helping spread awareness of agricultural practices that can improve productivity and farm management.
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