Three years back, she was just a homemaker with her life revolving around daily chores of routine house work. But now, she owns and manages a three acre integrated farm in Kerala with cows, goats and vegetable cultivation earning a monthly income of over Rs 1.5 lakh.
Vidhu Rajeev, 44, of Muttucheerayil, Kaduthuruthy in Kottayam evolved as a successful agri-entrepreneur through hard work and dedication. With no prior experience in farming or cattle rearing, this mother of three children took to integrated farming after she returned from Muscat along with her husband Rajeev Mathew, who was working in a company, in 2018.
“We never had any idea about what to do once we returned to our native place from Muscat. Though Rajeev’s family has been into farming earlier, I had no prior experience even in rearing a hen. But now I am really happy that I could become a farmer rearing cows, goats and hens. We are also into cultivation of different types of vegetables at our farm,” Vidhu told “Open Digest”.
Vidhu says that you only need to love what you do to become successful in any entrepreneurial venture. “Me and my family love taking care of the cows and other animals in our farm. We started with two goats and now we have 40 cows and 65 goats, a lot of hen and rabbits. We follow the latest farming systems to ensure that the cattle sheds are hygienically maintained,” she said.
Her cattle farm produces over 350 litres of milk daily which is supplied to cooperative milk society. The cow dung is processed and converted to organic manure for vegetable farming. “We have now started to sell the organic manure to customers. There is a huge demand for it,” she added.
Her farm titled “Parudeesa” provides employment to nearly ten people. “My husband and my children are my strongest supporters. My youngest son Alphonse takes care of the rabbits and hens while my other two children – Elias Rajeev and Mathew Rajeev help me in other works,” she added.
Though Vidhu started small, with just a few goats, she could expand her farm as she gained more experience. She adds that one needs to be updated with the latest farming techniques and animal caring methods to stay successful in integrated farming. “We also need to explore new farm products to stay relevant in the market. We make ghee and other byproducts from milk which are in high demand. Our vegetables are all in the hundred percent safe to eat category. We are now planning to expand the farm,” she said.
Vidhu, who won the state government’s best award for integrated farmer, believes that anyone can become a successful farmer if they are willing to put in the effort and learn from others. In fact, Vidhu is an inspiration to anyone who wants to make a change in their life. Her entrepreneurial journey is a reminder that it’s never too late to chase your dreams and that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.
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