Inside a farm-to-table breakfast celebrating India’s organic farmers

Pinki Kumari’s journey is one of defying the odds. Growing up with seven sisters and one brother, Kumari wanted to pursue training as a police constable when she came to realise there weren’t enough vacancies in the village of Fadilmarcha, Jharkhand. Having watched her in-laws struggle with traditional agricultural practices and accumulate mounting debt, she decided to step in and change things. Very quickly, Kumari learnt the ropes, helped along by the government, which had by then begun to incentivise organic farming. Today, she grows veggies by the thousands—ranging from brinjal and tomatoes to cauliflower and ginger, all while running her own nursery. When asked if she’d want to be a police constable today, she smiles and shyly shakes her head, saying, “As a constable, I’d be working alone. But as a farmer, I bring people together.”

Kumari was addressing an eclectic group of people at an intimate breakfast hosted by the development designers—Transform Rural India (TRI)—at Project Hum in Bandra. Over the aromas of food wafting in from the kitchen, three organic farmers from Jharkhand shared their deeply personal stories, offering a window into the challenges, triumphs, and transformations brought about in their communities by organic farming.

Their stories are as diverse as the crops they grow—each one rooted in a love for their land and driven by a desire to do better than those before them. The conversation, moderated by Project Hum’s co-founder Raghav Simha, centred around the key practices that are a cornerstone of the efforts of organic farming, such as net houses, mixed farming, and plant-grafting. What stood out, however, was that for all of them, the transition to organic farming wasn’t easy. It was slow-going work. In fact, to make the shift to organic farming from more traditional farming methods, most farmland needs to be cleared up for a couple of years. In other words, there’s no income for those many years. The rewards, though, are undeniable. Beyond the improved health of their land, these farmers evidently feel a deep-seated joy in reconnecting with their roots and building a community that thrives together.

Take Haricharan Oraon from Dhurleta village whose journey began as a daily wage worker in Punjab. Having left school after class 8, Oraon spent a decade there working in animal husbandry and farming. In 2002, equipped with these skills, he returned to his village in Jharkhand to start his own farm. Of course he faces challenges—among them, an infestation of monkeys that number in the thousands and routinely destroy his crops. Yet, under the mentorship of TRI, Oraon has embraced organic farming practices that have transformed his yield. Today, as he cultivates watermelons and tomatoes, the farming practices of which have become entirely organic, Oraon has also noticed something quite remarkable: people in his village fall ill less frequently. The ripple effect extends to his livelihood, too—his vegetables now fetch better prices in the markets.

Then there’s Nikki Kumari from the village of Purana Pani whose story stands out as much as her sparkle. With her one-year-old son Chandrayaan on her lap, she spoke with pride and joy about her organic farming practices and the produce—the cauliflower, brinjal, peas, and beans that she grows, among other crops. In a world where most mothers worry about the food they feed their children, Nikki Kumari takes comfort in knowing exactly where her family’s meals come from. Everything on their plates is homegrown, except for the spices they buy. Financial independence became a byproduct of her passion; once she received training and her farm began to thrive, even the skeptics in her family came around.

The breakfast that followed the conversation only went on to underscore the farmers’ philosophy—a thoughtfully curated spread crafted with fresh, seasonal organic produce, directly sourced from the fields of Pinki Kumari, Haricharan Oraon, and Nikki Kumari. Three variants of sweet potatoes which came together as fries and herbed potatoes, respectively, a jowar hummus, a mixed veggie flatbread, and a rich ragi chocolate cake with speciality strawberries, were the highlights of the meal. Simple yet exquisite, each dish whipped up by the talented chefs at Project Hum celebrated its ingredients, allowing every flavour to shine distinctly while coming together perfectly. At the end of the meal, Pinki Kumari added, “I know how to grow crops, but I never thought such dishes could be made from our crops!”

With their stories and the food, Oraon, Pinki Kumari and Nikki Kumari gently reminded everyone of a striking truth: the future of sustainable farming lies not just in the techniques but in the hands of those who cultivate the land with heart and hope, sowing the seeds of change.

All images: Courtesy of Transforming Rural India

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