ASSAGAO, April 13 -- ERWIN FONSECA

It was in June 2014 that a small attempt was made in Assagao when four farmers came together for the first time to start farming under the community farming umbrella. In those days, even getting such a small number of farmers to work collectively was a big effort, as it involved continuous brainstorming sessions and awareness meets. However, no one took this move seriously, as for many it meant that just four farmers coming together was no big deal. But this was a stepping stone for a much greater project that would be coming up about ten years down the line, and a launchpad for the youth to get attracted to farming.

Agriculture is often seen as a non-lucrative job, particularly due to the high cost of...