Mathew
There is a difference in dreams and reality. Once you are in corporate world for say 15 years, means you have kids who have fully urban outlook. Firstly you need to look at their educational requirements, secondly do they share your dreams. More importantly does your wife share your dreams. Remember your dream implies hardship to them.
In my case i am born & brought up in cities. However I have inherited a house and land in my native village. I am a GM in an indian multinational. I have similar dream as you have.
Regards
Dear Member
Like you there are hundreds and thousands of IT guys who wish to retire at the mid age of 40-45 and go back to basics for a living in country side taking up agriculture as their livelihood avocation for a living.
At faminggroup.org we provide opportunities to invest in Organic agriculture project and take part in farming and other related activities.The details of which are in the following concept note. If members who do not have their own lands,can interact with me for more details.
BOT for Sustainable Agricultural Development
(A win-win proposition for our Indian Small / Medium Farmers and Investors)
Introduction:
All suburban agglomerations across India in its metro Cities/ Towns witness now an alarming trend of killing agriculture and leaving the fertile lands to remain as barren parched stretches vulnerable for all ecological /environmental degradations. Million hectares of such once fertile agriculture lands in fringe villages bordering the metropolitan agglomerates are fast becoming ecologically degraded waste lands. Major reason being our gullible farmers lie in waiting after clearing the lands of its vegetation so as to attract the real estate goons/ land mafias who offer them some paltry sums for their lands, are unknowingly led into a trap to lose their lands as well as livelihoods for ever. This is another major cause of farmers’ suicide in the suburban areas and areas just brimming bordering the city limits of phenomenally expanding megalopolis/ metropolis like Delhi/Mumbai/Chennai/Bangalore. These fringe villages bordering the city /urban limits were once the active agri / horticultural centres cultivating and meeting the demands of city population for their supply of the fresh vegetables on a daily basis. Thus the livelihood earnings of many farmers, especially small/ medium with less than 2-3 acres of land holdings, were on a sustainable basis hitherto. But today having lost their lands to these tycoons/mafias the farmers are in a wretched economic situation wherein either way the stand to lose with no sustainable income generation.
The Project :
BOT for Sustainable Agricultural Development, is aimed at providing a sustainable livelihood as well as an environmentally improved agricultural lands besides keeping alive the supply chain of fresh vegetables to cities dwellers.
One more major outcome of this project is the involvement of the vast numerous population of IT guys in these cities by way of becoming investors and thereby sharing the benefits – the top most of which being part of the nation building activity as well as getting healthy organically grown vegetables from the nearby outlets.
The IT sector employees would be encouraged to invest in units of lands identified and amalgamated for collective farming enterprise models that are replicated across the country. The units earn them the share of profits besides their enjoying a steady organic products are riding the constantly rising wave of consumer demand.
As consumers<especially high income bracket IT guys are willing to pay for food quality, animal welfare and environmental protection with a growing desire to know the progression of their food from ‘farm to fork’ many consumers are starting to develop a relationship with their organic farmers.
As a result many organic farmers can sell directly through ‘Box Schemes’* ,urban farmers’ market **, farm –gate shops*** or even tourist oriented programmes**** on week - ends at the farm –sites itself .
Already hundreds of acres just about 100 kms radius of Bangalore well within 1-1.30 hours drive from the outer ring road , have been identified and many farmers and their groups are ready to enter into this arrangement.
When these farmers still remain the owners of their own ancestral land and continue to work and earn their livelihood from out of their land, there is no reason for them to remain idle. The win -win supply chain assuring them a steady supply of farm fresh organic vegetables without the intervention of any middle men, direct from the farms is a blessing in disguise. The is another opportunity for them is to become volunteers who can take up week- end assignment of learning by doing organic farming practices after getting exposed to a short term hands on training. Added to this benefit they can also make on farm purchases at farm gates, go for week end outings with family to enjoy farm fresh air and ambience in a serene environment and do indulge in traditional rural cuisine made out of farm fresh veggies. They can as well participate in the ‘Box –scheme’ or farm markets as they like it to be.
How BUILD,OPERATE AND TRANSFER (BOT) works? :
With the registered organization in the name and style of BIOTECH BIOFARM (BBF) on the organizing side as mentor/facilitator of the project ,the owners of lands on the one side and the investors of funds (in terms of units) for the operation of project on the other side will be the joint venture partners (JVP) to enjoy the benefits whatsoever that accrue out of this project on a win-win situation as enumerated below.
What to build? :
Land holdings in adjacent cites in a contiguous location identified for the project would be taken on a lease basis for a period of 3-5 years in anyone phase of the project. The lease agreement would be drafted in vernacular and signed by either party to the lease agreement. The lessor organization would pay the lessee farmer the agreed lease amount on an annual basis till the lease holding is in operation in line with contract farming agreement.
All infrastructures required for farming, starting from land development , creating source of irrigation, drip irrigation network, farming tools, machinery ,vehicles & other equipments etc. would be created as a collective resources building effort from the investment funds and the farming activity is performed until the period of certification say 3-5 years from the starting of the project in the particular land.
How to operate?:
All investing IT guys would pay a fixed sum for one unit of investment and can invest in multiples of units. The benefits accrued in terms of profit per unit will be converted as the quantity in kgs of farm fresh organic vegetables (nominal pricing will be done depending on cost of production, preservation, storage, packaging & distribution) which will be supplied to him from the market outlets created nearer to his zone of residential locations. All local varieties of traditionally grown short term veg. crops such as beans, brinjal, bindi, bitter/bottle guards, pumpkins, chilies, tomatoes, etc will, be grown utilizing the skills and experience of local farmers and not making them feel uneasy by introduction of advanced/ sophisticated hybrid varieties sold in seed market. Efforts will be taken on a sustainable basis to collect preserve and propagate our traditional varieties only as a policy objective. All management expenditures, infrastructure building expenditure and other farm inventories are accounted meticulously from day one of the project in each phase and the farmers/investors are free to check them anytime as a transparent book of account.
How to transfer back to farmers?
Once the cycle of whole operations relating to routine production of organic short term crops(such as fresh farm grown native vegetables- all native varieties of beans, pumpkins, brinjal, tomatoes etc) is over, say after an incubation period ranging from 3-5 years time, the process of transferring the land holdings back to individual owners will take place. This is to keep up the policy objective of BBF that at no instance a single bit of a land owned by any farmer will be grabbed or any slightest bit of impression be created to that effect in the minds of farmers.
If in case anyone, on his sane mind, will and pleasure not ready to get back his/her land ownership, cancelling lease agreement it can be taken back by the organization on a pre determined sale-price as prevailed in the beginning of the project phase/ cycle and the land be taken for the continuing R& D project phase. However the farmer can continue to get employed as a ‘farm-hand’ as usual. If the farmer lessor not willing to get his land transferred back but would continue the lease agreement, he/she is always at his/her free will to do so.
See Annexure for *,
**,
***, ****
