Transforming Agriculture: Prabhat Kumar an engineer from Bihar, aided 25,000 farmers with his agricultural work

Transforming Agriculture: In 2015, Prabhat founded SumArth because he was motivated to improve the lives of his fellow Bihari people. The NGO set out to turn farming, which is often seen as a purely subsistence endeavor in the area, into a viable enterprise. He started his adventure by growing onions, a crop that showed great potential for profit.

Despite being a farmer, Prabhat’s father always cautioned him against becoming a farmer. Despite his eventual career as an engineer, Prabhat had a natural aptitude for farming. Bihar was “the Land of Opportunities” in his eyes, where he could create something creative and long-lasting.

He began his agricultural study while working in Mumbai. He was inspired to transform Bihar after seeing the possibilities of a single acre of land. His father’s desire for his death and the terrible reality he saw when he returned to Bargaon 10 years later caused him to come to a startling realization: Bihar, a region that is often disregarded, really has a wealth of untapped prospects.

Redefining Bihar’s Agricultural Landscape

Prabhat has a distinct viewpoint on agriculture because of his technical background. He determined that an over-reliance on paddy, poor market prices, and a dearth of varied crops were the main issues facing farmers in Bihar. The whole solution offered by SumArth included infrastructure, technology, training, and market connections.

Prabhat’s Impact with High-Value Crops

Prabhat transformed agricultural methods by bringing in high-value crops, including baby corn, strawberries, and mushrooms. regular revenue is more important than regular costs, according to him. This method stood in sharp contrast to the conventional framework. The astounding 25,000 farmers who make up SumArth’s farmer base today attest to the effectiveness of these programs.

A Foundational Aspect of SumArth

Prabhat is certain about the potential of women in the farming industry. 75% of the participants in his project are women and 25% are men. Through the provision of essential skills and resources, SumArth is enabling women to achieve self-sufficiency and make valuable contributions to the welfare of their families. “If we cannot bring women to the farms, we can bring the farms to the women,” he argues, quoting Swami Vivekananda.

Overcoming Obstacles

There have been challenges on Prabhat’s path. Significant obstacles were early skepticism, infrastructural constraints, and market volatility. But his persistent perseverance and the observable outcomes that SumArth’s farmers have accomplished have won him global respect.

They used to have trouble growing 20–30 kg of mushrooms per day. Currently, the processing facility can handle 10,000 kg of mushrooms per day. A sustainable agricultural environment is being built by Prabhat.

Prabhat offers straightforward but insightful advice to would-be business owners: “Dream big, be patient, study the market, and remain consistent.”

One farmer at a time, Prabhat Kumar’s SumArth movement is changing agriculture in Bihar; it is more than simply an NGO.