Now you can ‘Rent A Farm’, grow your own crops, and aid local farmers too!

We’ve all heard of Farmville (indeed, many of us are guilty of spamming our friends with invites to the fame), but for most, any desire to experiment with our green thumb ended in the virtual world. Indian Superheroes, on the other hand, has succeeded in helping people play Farmville in real life.

Indian Superheroes (ISH) are a Coimbatore-based social enterprise that is helping people master the art of farming, while simultaneously supporting organic farmers in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Co-founders Vishnu Vardhan and Divya Shetty started off with an intention to empower farmers by setting up exclusive marketplaces and value-addition units for them, thereby eliminating the middleman hassle that leaves the farmers with zero earnings and in debt.

Along the way, they started their ‘Rent a Farm’ program that allows individuals to rent patches in organic farms to harvest and grow their own crops, to not only introduce the art of farming to those interested, but also educate the people as to why farmers are the ‘backbone’ of our country.

“Apart from our main intention to make farming self-sustainable, we also want to make farming a cool thing so that the next generation develops an interest in the art to take it up seriously,” says co-founder Divya Shetty in an interview with The New Indian Express.

So how does it work?

Start by choosing a plot and rent duration period. The experience starts with a mandatory zero budget organic farming workshop, after which you can visit the farm at leisure.

The ISH farmers care for the patch in your absence. Once the rental period is over, the crops can be harvested and taken back home or sold at the local markets.

Currently the program caters to Coimbatore only, but they are looking to expand later.

Empowering farmers

Image Credit: Indian Superheroes

In the wake of recent pan-India farmer crises, what better way to show support to the real superheroes of the nation?
By enabling farmers to sell directly to the customers under a common name, the project helps to ensure great prices on genuine organic products for both customers and farmers.

The Silent Revolution

Through the ‘Rent a Farm’ training project, more and more self-sustainable farmers may be seen in different parts of the country, thereby empowering the community. This in turn helps to raise awareness of the challenges faced by farmers, and allows for more conversations about how to address them.

Meanwhile, it will also help to grow the organic food market in India, an offset of which is an improvement in the health and lifestyle of thousands. They’re calling this the Silent Organic Revolution.

For more information on Indian Superheroes and details on how to rent your own farm, visit their site and follow them on Facebook too.

Written by Additi Seth

Featured image source: Indian Superheroes on Facebook

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