From Circuit to Soil: Shakti Dev’s Journey into Sustainable Farming

At a time when educated youth are migrating to cities in search of jobs, Shakti Dev of Diktu village in Jhiyol Panchayat, Kangra district, chose a different path. An engineering graduate, he left his private job in 2012 and returned to his ancestral land.

Initially, Dev followed conventional methods, using chemicals in the mango and lychee orchards planted by his father. But high costs and low returns soon made him reconsider. In 2015, he began experimenting with organic techniques, and by 2018—after receiving training from Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni—he fully embraced organic farming.

Today, his fields thrive on indigenous preparations like jeevamrit, ghan jeevamrit, dashparni ark, and agnyaastra. With support from the Agriculture Department and subsidies for keeping indigenous cows, he has developed a self-sustaining farming model. To overcome marketing challenges, he bypasses middlemen and sells directly to selected families, ensuring steady sales and better profits.

Beyond seasonal crops, Dev grows flowers, runs a nursery, manages lychee orchards, and rears livestock. Depending on conditions, his farm generates an income of ₹30,000–40,000 per month.

Committed to raising awareness, he regularly engages with farmers from neighboring villages, demonstrating the economic and ecological benefits of organic farming. He also promotes zero-tillage methods that conserve soil moisture and enhance fertility.

“Even though I studied engineering, nothing compares to the joy of growing food on my own land,” says Dev. He believes organic farming not only ensures healthier produce but also safeguards long-term soil health and ecological balance.