They started their initiative a few months back in Vaishali district. While Shashank is an IIT-Delhi graduate (2004-2008 batch), Manish Kumar, did his five-year integrated post-graduate (2005-10 batch) from IIT-Kharagpur.Though their parents are not satisfied with their mission the two old friends, who prepared together for engineering entrance tests persuaded a group of 14 farmers in Vaishali district to go for scientific farming.

They suggested to farmers to cultivate rajma instead of the conventional crop of wheat. But initially the farmers ignored the suggestions. But they persuaded 18 farmers to experiment on six acres of land.
According to Manish, son of a retired clerk from Chakdariya village in Vaishali district, it was a huge success. The farmers earned Rs 1,000 per kattha with an investment of Rs 400. For wheat, they used to invest Rs 350 and reap 50kg produce per kattha, earning just Rs 400 to 500.

In February 2011 they came up with an NGO, Farms-n-Farmers (FnF), which does everything from soil testing to providing a market to farmers.

Their focus is on maximizing returns from land through natural farming. In Purnia, where corn and potato are predominantly grown, some farmers usually leave their land unused from June to September. They were advised to sow baby corn. As baby corn is reaped within 50 to 60 days, farmers had a bumper harvest just before raising another crop.

Several Purnia farmers harvested 25kg baby corn per kattha of land and sold it for an average amount of Rs 750, earning more than Rs 300.

In Buxar, where the farmers are facing water shortage, they were advised to grow medicinal herbs, which need negligible irrigation. According to Shashank they now sell directly to food processing industries. It helps farmers earn more. The FnF charges a nominal 10% of total sale value from farmers. The duo said that they plan to lower this figure in future as more farmers join their initiative.
They want to create a large network of small and marginal yet happy and prosperous farmers. Though they are currently not using organic methods of farming, they are all for it as, according to them, it is the best

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More than 150 farmers are associated with FnF. It has an eight-member advisory body, which includes Prof P K Sinha from IIM-Ahmedabad, Prof R Singh and P B S Bhadoria from IIT-Kharagpur, and Dr Bimla Rai from RAU, Pusa.

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Guys taken great initiations. I am involved with food (Agro) business in EU/Russia since last 20 over years, I traveled almost all important countries of the Developed & Developing world. I was participants of transformations in few countries. I see this as a great future prospective for our Bihar. If any one from this group would like to share any of the sector technical knowledge, feel free to interact with me directly.

Need to teach/guide Bihar government, to put infrastructures in districts to support Agro (Food) industries, rest people will do themselves.

I am ready to allocate my very fertile lands of Begusarai (Sadanandpur) under good calculations, to bring added values in there ideas.

Ajay Ji knows me personally, I met him in Patna & talked over telephone few times.

Ajit Kumar