From circuits to soil: Shakti Dev’s journey to sustainable farming

At a time when educated youth are migrating to cities in search of jobs, Shakti Dev from Diktu village in Jhiol panchayat in Kangra district has carved his own path. An engineering graduate, he quit his private sector job in 2012 to return to his ancestral land.

Initially, Dev followed conventional practices, using chemicals on mango and litchi orchards planted by his father. But high input costs and poor returns forced him to rethink. In 2015, he began experimenting with organic techniques, and after training at Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, in 2018, he fully embraced organic farming.

Today, his farm relies on indigenous preparations such as Jeevamrit, Ghan Jeevamrit, Dashparni Ark and Agniastra. With support from the Agriculture Department and grants for rearing indigenous cows, he has developed a self-reliant farming model. To counter marketing challenges, he bypasses middlemen by selling directly to selected families, ensuring steady sales and better returns.

Beyond seasonal crops, Dev cultivates flowers, runs a nursery, maintains a litchi orchard, and rears cattle. His farming activities fetch him an income of Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 a month, depending on weather conditions.

Committed to spreading awareness, he regularly engages with farmers in neighbouring villages, demonstrating the economic and ecological benefits of organic farming. He has also promoted zero-tillage methods, which conserve soil moisture and improve fertility.

“Even though I studied engineering, the joy of producing food from my own land is unmatched,” Dev says, believing that organic farming secures not just healthy produce but also long-term soil and ecological balance.