While pursuing engineering in computer science in Chennai, Anshul Mishra (28) aspired to return to his roots and become a farmer — an unconventional dream among his peers. During his third year of college, Anshul began exploring agriculture, engaging in lengthy discussions with his father, Aditya Mishra, a teacher by profession.

Anshul’s father shares that he has no regrets about his son choosing to stay in the village despite pursuing engineering. “I feel it is better to do something of your own instead of relying on an unstable city job. Anshul now stays with us, which is also a support for us as we are ageing.”

Reviving barren land with natural inputs

In 2018, Anshul returned to his village Chilaua in Western Uttar Pradesh with the hope of transforming his aspiration into reality.

Before him lay two things: a one-acre plot of land that had been barren for as long as he could remember, and an opportunity to prove himself. “The piece of land was devoid of any agricultural productivity. Kids used to play cricket on it,” he recalls.

This was when Anshul embarked on a remarkable journey of transformation, determined to breathe life into the neglected land. “I ploughed the land and enriched the soil by adding quintals of cow dung to it. I planted trees like gram, which naturally enhance the soil’s nitrogen content,” he explains.

Discovering dragon fruit: A profitable alternative

While working to rejuvenate the land, Anshul began researching alternative crops that could thrive on the enriched soil and offer better returns. It was during this search that he stumbled upon a YouTube video highlighting the benefits of dragon fruit farming. “I learnt that with a one-time investment, we could harvest its fruits up to seven times a year,” he shares.

“Unlike wheat and paddy crops that require re-sowing every six months,

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