Passion for sustainable agriculture has made four youngsters in Kochi, Kerala join hands to establish a state-of-the-art hydroponics farm for cultivating pesticide-free leafy vegetables. What’s more, the number of customers for their farm produce has increased from 10 to 70, increasing their revenue in just months.
Aswathy P Krishnan, Jisha V V, Kiran Chandrasekharan, and Arun Chandrasekharan decided to set up the farm driven by their shared dream of growing fresh, healthy, and pesticide-free leafy greens. Their farming venture, titled “JAKS Rolling Leaves,” now has two 1,500 sqft smart hydroponic farms set up on a 22-cent plot of land which they have taken on lease. Aswathy and Jisha, who were close friends since their school days, met siblings Kiran and Arun at Krishi Vigyan Kendra while discussing the possibility of starting a hi-tech farm.
While Aswathy and Arun work in IT sector, Jisha is a social worker and Kiran works in film industry as an assistant director. They make utilise their free time to work at the farm.
“Kiran and Arun were also looking to start a farm. So we decided to join hands with them to set up the farm. We together availed a loan of Rs 30 lakh and established the farm equipped with advanced hydroponics systems, climate control mechanisms, and precision irrigation technology,” Jisha told “Open Digest.”
“Our goal is to grow fresh and pesticide-free leafy greens that people can trust. Using technology, we’ve minimised water consumption and eliminated harmful chemicals, making our produce both eco-friendly and nutritious,” Jisha added.
They started work on the farm in December 2023, and by April 2024, the work was completed and the first round of seeds were sown.
The farm specialises in cultivating spinach, kale, lettuce, coriander, and micro-greens, ensuring a steady supply of fresh greens year-round. The use of hydroponics—a soil-free farming method—allows the plants to absorb nutrients directly through water, resulting in faster growth and higher yields. The controlled environment ensures crops are safe from pests, diseases, and unpredictable weather conditions.
The pesticide-free greens have already garnered attention from local markets and health-conscious consumers, with many appreciating the transparency in farming methods. “We harvest the leafy vegetables twice a week and have partnered with an agency to deliver the vegetables directly to the doorsteps of our customers from the farm. When we started selling the vegetables, we only had ten subscribers to our weekly supply scheme. But now, we have over 70 permanent subscribers, and each day, our subscriber base is growing,” Jisha added.
The four friends hope their initiative inspires others to embrace clean and sustainable farming practices. As demand for chemical-free produce grows, their farm stands as a shining example of how young minds can bring about transformative changes in agriculture.
