From Barren to Bumper: How this farmer in Bihar's Rohtas turned barren land into a profitable model
In Bihar's Rohtas district, there is a piece of land that farmers now visit to learn from. Yet, this very land was once barren and sandy—a place where growing anything was a challenge. Vijay Bahadur Singh, a resident of Sabiya village in the Rajpur block, transformed this land into a successful agricultural model through hard work and modern farming techniques. Today, his fields yield vegetables, spices, and fruits—and most importantly, every crop generates a profit.
How it began
It was 2010. Vijay Bahadur Singh owned about two hectares of land, but it was barren and sandy. Traditional farming methods yielded little income. He then consulted scientists at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Rohtas. They advised him to take up horticulture and vegetable farming, and to produce vermicompost to improve the soil quality. Vijay followed this advice; he began producing vermicompost, adopted organic mulching, and implemented modern irrigation techniques. Within a few years, the quality of the land began to improve, and crop yields started to rise.
Adopted Drip Irrigation System
The land was elevated and sandy, leading to significant water wastage with traditional irrigation methods. Recognizing this, Vijay adopted technologies such as drip irrigation, micro-sprinklers, standard sprinklers, and rain guns. These techniques conserved water and ensured each crop received the precise amount of water it required. Additionally, the use of vermicompost and mulching helped retain soil moisture, resulting in better crop growth.
He cultivated a wide variety of crops; in addition to bitter gourd, tomato, ridge gourd, elephant foot yam, bottle gourd, and turmeric, he successfully grew okra, cucumber, eggplant, spinach, fenugreek, gram, onion, garlic, mustard, strawberry, beetroot, radish, carrot, cabbage, and cauliflower—cultivating over 20 different crops in total.
Additional Income from Vermicompost
Beyond farming, Vijay began earning revenue by selling earthworms used for vermicompost production. This generated an additional annual income of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. Essentially, every part of the farm was generating income, with no waste. As farming operations expanded, the threat from nilgai (blue bulls) and stray animals also increased. Vijay devised a low-cost solution to this problem: he created a protective net using parachute cord, costing Rs 5 per foot. This net lasts for three years and effectively protects crops from nilgai and other animals.
From Farmer to Master Trainer
Vijay Bahadur Singh’s experiments gained recognition not only within his village but also at the state level. In 2012–13, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, honored him with the title of 'Most Progressive Farmer.'
Today, he serves as a master trainer for the training programs conducted by KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendra), Rohtas. Officials—including the District Agriculture Officer, District Horticulture Officer, ATMA representatives, and the District Soil Conservation Officer—leverage his experience to train other farmers in the district. “If the land is poor, don’t abandon it. Seek advice from scientists, adopt new techniques, and keep track of every single crop. Farming will yield a profit.”