Why this scientist left his job to start an organic date farm

Why would you leave a prestigious job as a scientist to become an organic farmer? We asked Diwakar Channappa - the first organic dates farmer from South India - this question. Farming, he says, was always in his heart. In Bengaluru it remained locked inside a corner, often suppressed by the challenges of his daily work. But an unplanned trip back to his hometown in 2009, after his father suffered a health setback, rekindled his love for agriculture, and since then there has been no looking back. Inspired by Masanobu Fukuoka's book "One Straw Revolution," he embraced organic farming, initially cultivating traditional crops like ragi and toor dal. However, he wanted to stand out and took a bold leap into dates farming - yes, dates, a crop we thought was best suited for deserts! It wasn’t smooth sailing at first, but by 2013, his palms started bearing fruit. Now his farm churns out over 4 tonnes of organic dates every year. Diwakar doesn't want to just known as a dates farmer however —he’s all about sustainability, preparing organic fertilizers on-site and welcoming people to his farm, Marali Mannige, for harvest festivals. These events not only showcase his hard work but also inspire others to think differently about farming. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:53 Story behind the organic dates farm 04:10 Techniques to grow dates 06:19 Collaboration with 'Udhbhavaha' 07:42 Promoting sustainability and nutritious food #goodfoodmovement #organicfarming #harvestfestival