A couple of years back, while switching channels, Dheeraj Verma came across a television program that showcased how Israel has pioneered hydroponic farming. "Israel has been extremely progressive in farming despite having a dry climate, limited water resources, and high population density," he tells The Better India.
"With what they grew in an acre of land, they were able to export it to several countries. I wondered, if they were exporting produce from just one acre, why was I lagging behind despite owning 10 acres of land? I was not able to sell my produce even to the next village, let alone to the other countries," he adds with a sigh.
Dheeraj was so fascinated by the technique that he went on to watch hundreds of related videos on hydroponics farming in Israel. His obsession led him to adopt the practice in his village Meenapur, Barabanki, which is well-known for cultivating traditional crops like wheat, maize and rice.
Early this year, Dheeraj made sales of Rs 3 lakh within two months by cultivating strawberries hydroponically.
Read more at thebetterindia.com