Success Story: This 45-year-old farmer from UP earned Rs 48 crore from quinoa cultivation and organic farming
Success Story: Organic farming is what 45-year-old Pradeep Kumar Dwivedi, a forward-thinking farmer from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, does. His academic background is as spectacular as his professional trajectory, having earned a B.Tech in Food Science and an M.Tech in Chemical Engineering from HBTI, Kanpur. Pradeep’s career demonstrates a strong dedication to innovation and a love for sustainability. He has over 26 years of expertise in R&D, product engineering, QA, QC, and project management across sectors including food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, herbal, and FMCG.
Transitioning from Business to Farming
He spent so much time working in the business sector that he began to doubt his prospects there. After a distinguished career with prominent global corporations, he started to question how much longer he could work in this manner. He ultimately made the bold decision to leave his job in 2010 and concentrate on organic farming. In the Fatehpur district, he began farming and contract farming on 300 acres of land. A solid academic and professional foundation served as the foundation for this endeavor.
Pradeep had the opportunity to go to Peru, a country in South America. He intended to offer quinoa to Indian farmers after discovering it during his tour. He started the Quinoa with four farmers in Bahua village, Fatehpur, proving that growing Quinoa is profitable. Finding customers and persuading farmers was a difficult task at first, but his perseverance paid off. He now collaborates with 40,000 farmers in six states who grow a variety of crops, including flaxseeds, quinoa, chia seeds, radish, and moringa.
A Sustainable Business Model
His primary business plan is to help farmers by offering them post-harvest processing, seeds, and technical support. By purchasing goods directly from farmers and handling the sales himself, he addresses the significant issue of market access. His cooperative strategy boosts collective bargaining power and efficiency by promoting cluster-based farming.
Farmer Incomes Are Increased by Pradeep’s Innovations
The value addition of agricultural goods, which has greatly raised their market worth, is the focus of Pradeep’s R&D team. Instant sugar cane juice is a novel product that his team has created. Combining the sugarcane juice from the instant powder with water is one of the creative methods to drink it; this allows for year-round consumption without the use of chemicals.
He began his firm with an annual turnover of 5 lakh, and now it generates almost 48 crore. As the initial step to raise farmers’ wages, his efforts have led to the establishment of a Quinoa Milk Plant in Noida.
Honors and Acknowledgment
Among Pradeep’s accomplishments are:
ICAR, the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, presented the Best Entrepreneur Award in 2016.
The UP Government’s Ministry of Agriculture presented the Best Farmer Award for Organic Farming in 2017.
The Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India, presented the Best Innovative Organic Product Manufacturing Award in 2018.
The Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India, presented the Best Organic Cash Crop as Food Security Award in 2018.
In 2021, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment presented the Best Organic Farmer Award.
Additionally, Pradeep is the author of about 155 worldwide research publications on various herbs and organic foods. His book, ‘Food Security in India by Cultivating Quinoa,’ offers some information on the crop’s potential as a sustainable one.
Prospects for the Future
Pradeep’s advice to farmers is always to multicrop and introduce high-demand crops like quinoa and moringa, using patience and appropriate techniques with the help of public and private sector support systems. The remainder of the message focuses on developing and perfecting what he refers to as minimum viable products, or MVPs.
The journey of Pradeep Kumar Dwivedi from corporate professional to organic pioneer is a story of dedication and ingenuity. In addition to enhancing the lives of thousands of farmers, his work advances India’s broader goals of food security and sustainable agriculture.
