Meet ex-Wipro techie turned farmer, who built multi-crore dairy business in Bengaluru

Bengaluru-born professional, Shashi Kumar, in 2010, after a 17-year-long successful stint in the technology sector, in a monumental shift, gave up his career to pursue his desire to create a meaningful impact in the agricultural sector. He co-founded Akshayakalpa Organic, India's first certified organic dairy enterprise with the vision to empower rural communities, enable rural entrepreneurship and improve the livelihoods of small and marginalised farmers.

Kumar, an engineering graduate in computer science from Bengaluru University, went on to do his Master's in Telecommunication Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology. In his 17-year-long career, he worked at Wipro Technologies for 13 years.

Kumar witnessed the woes of small farmers at close quarters, having grown up in a farming family. His father discouraged him from pursuing agriculture as a profession as it is economically unviable, reported ET.

The desire to contribute to India's agricultural sector and alleviate the systemic challenges faced by farmers, Kumar gave up his thriving IT career. Akshayakalpa Organic was born out of this passion. Established to improve dairy farming in India, the company aims to combine sustainable agriculture with rural entrepreneurship.

The company provides farmers access to tools and resources needed for sustainable organic farming and to be entrepreneurs. In order to do away with the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, the company aids farmers with technical support, financial linkages and market access.

With a holistic and eco-friendly approach, the aim of the company is to make farmers self-sustaining. Cow dung is used to generate methane gas for daily farm operations while the residue is used as an organic fertilizer. Rainwater harvesting, tree integrations and close-loop waste management is employed to further enhance sustainability. Akshayakalpa farms reported an increase in soil organic carbon from 0.3 per cent to 0.98 per cent over a decade.

Kumar aims to have a turnover of Rs 400 crore this fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, the company had a turnover of nearly Rs 300 corers.

The Rainmatter Foundation, a nonprofit backed by Zerodha founders Nithin and Nikhil Kamath, has extended its support to the company.

The company collaborated with young farmers who have given up a profession in agriculture given the economic challenges. These farmers are provided with the training required to be successful entrepreneurs.

According to the report, Farmers working with Akshayakalpa earn an average of Rs 100,000 per month through the production of organic milk, poultry, honey, bananas, tender coconuts, and millets, reducing their dependence on unstable market conditions, middlemen and unpredictable weather conditions.

Akshayakalpa's reach goes beyond individual farmers, by creating opportunities for local employment and fostering sustainable farming practices, it promoting community development.