In Jatland, woman farmer ploughs her way to success
GURGAON: For 35-year-old Pooja Sharma, the smallscale unit she operates is not just a means to earn a living. It is also something that has given her and other women in her neighbourhood a sense of purpose and selfconfidence to face the world head on.
This farmer from Chandu village in Gurgaon was recently awarded for her innovative farming techniques with the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Krishi Puraskar from Zone II comprising states of Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. The award carries a cash prize of `50,000 along with a citation and certificate. Sharma, through innovative farming techniques, produces 11 varieties of ready-to-cook and ready-toeat items made of soybeans, wheat, pearl millet and corn. She, along with a team 11 women, also creates awareness among the villagers about soybeans, which are packed with nutrients, and sells them at affordable prices to improve the health of villagers.
“It has been a long journey. In 2013, I started a small manufacturing unit of roasted soybeans at home by involving some women in the neighbourhood. Today, we are selling over 11 products across the state and country and this has helped us gain self-confidence and self-reliance,” she said. A mother of three, Sharma started the business to support her family. When her husband, a contract employee with the government, was unable to earn enough money to sustain their family, Sharma thought it her duty to support him.
It is at the agricultural centre that Sharma learnt about soybeans and manufacturing of soybean nuts. She then helped another 11 women from the village to undergo the training and started a self help group and business enterprise, ‘Kshitiz Group (SHG)’.
“From all the savings we had, the women in the SHG bought three machines to roast soybean nuts. Then after collecting more money, we purchased two more and, at present, there are a total of seven units. The machines are expensive and cost anywhere between `16,000 and `20,000 per piece,” she said.