Rooted in the soil: How Harender Shah transformed barren land into a flourishing farm in Uttarakhand
UTTARAKHAND : The lack of employment opportunities in rural areas often prompts youths to move to cities in search of livelihood. However, Harender Shah, son of a farmer from Silanga village in the Mehalchauri post area of Gairsain block (part of Uttarakhand’s summer capital region), decided to buck the trend.
Born to a farmer, Meharban Singh, and Radha Devi in 1993, the 32-year-old was still pursuing his studies when his father, who worked for a private company in Chandigarh, was given age-based retirement. Suddenly, the entire financial burden of the household fell squarely onto Harender’s young shoulders, shifting his focus away from education towards the urgent need for employment.
Harender rose to the occasion and found himself a job at a mobile phone shop in a local market. The position offered a modest monthly income of just Rs 3,000. This meagre sum, however, proved woefully inadequate, barely letting him cover his basic necessities.
It was during his stint at the shop when a more ambitious plan began to crop up in his mind – he decided to start his own agriculture-based business using his ancestral land.
He undertook a personal assessment of the market’s demand for vegetables, carefully exploring the intricacies of production costs versus marketing profits. The data he gathered proved further encouraging. However, he had a conundrum – he didn’t have even a rupee in his pocket.
Opening up to this newspaper about his financial woes, Harender shared, “Of course, I faced acute financial difficulties. But I had faith in my plans. With the help of some friends, I planned to start this new venture on my ancestral land.” Discussing the significance of his heritage, he mused, “A true farmer from the hills might endure financial hardship for a time. But preserving his land as a lifelong heritage is paramount.”
Harking back to the time he started his venture, he shares, “At a place called Khil in my village Silanga, I installed two polyhouses on 10 nali of barren land and worked tirelessly day and night to make the barren land fertile.” Harender’s family, including his parents, had his back throughout the endeavour.
Harender shares that he drew inspiration from former President APJ Abdul Kalam’s words, ‘A dream is not what we see in sleep. But a dream is something that does not let you sleep.’ And his dream was to make the barren agricultural lands in his mountain region fertile and create employment right there in the hills so that the locals would not have to venture out of town for jobs. This dream kept him awake at night for five years until it became a reality. And his ‘Vocal for Local’ model now stands as an inspiration for lakhs of young people.
Harender, who has a deep understanding of the mountain soil, harshness and temperament, has grown virtually every kind of vegetable – from peas, cauliflower, capsicum, tomato and onion, to radish, cucumber, brinjal and beans.
During an in-depth conversation about his self-employment model, he also dwelt on what hurdles he faced in his journey. “People used to discourage me. But thanks to the support of my family and friends, I could make it happen.”
Harender’s commitment to his craft is evident in his rigorous daily schedule. It’s a routine built on discipline and tireless effort, starting before the sun even graces the horizon. “I wake up without fail, every day at 5 am and work on my farm until seven in the evening,” he says.
His passion has translated into tangible success and a deep sense of fulfillment. Reflecting on his past year’s success, Harender says, “In the past year, I earned a profit of over `5 lakh. And today, when I look back, I feel a certain sense of peace.”
Harender’s farm has become a significant source of income for him, and he takes pride in providing employment to four young individuals, apart from engaging his entire family in the venture. He emphasises the importance of organic farming, saying, “I have focused on organic farming, which is in high demand. My entire produce is sold out in the Mehalchauri market, and there is still a huge demand.”
Though Harender plans to further expand his business, he is in no rush to achieve lofty goals. “My dream is to scale up gradually. Besides vegetables, I will prioritise ventures like dairy, poultry, fisheries, mushroom and kiwi production, not only bringing a variety of products but also creating employment for local youth.”
