Young farmer Ashish Mohanty is redefining modern agriculture by launching Odisha’s first indoor hydroponic farm—a venture where vegetables are grown without soil or natural sunlight. While many youngsters shy away from farming, Ashish left a secure, well-paying job to build a sustainable business that not only produces fresh produce but also creates local employment opportunities.
From Roots to Innovation
Hailing from Sujang village in Jagatsinghpur district, Ashish is a science graduate from SVM College and earned his post-graduate degree in chemistry from VIMSAR, Burla. Although he had a promising career waiting for him in Hyderabad, his passion for self-reliance and innovation led him back to his agricultural roots.
Discovering Hydroponic Farming
While researching new farming methods, Ashish stumbled upon hydroponics—the art of growing plants without soil. With help from online tutorials, he began experimenting on his rooftop in 2019. In a modest 800-square-foot area, he successfully cultivated 2,400 exotic leafy greens. Encouraged by the positive results and growing market demand, he quickly saw the potential for expansion.
Scaling Up with a Polyhouse
Next, Ashish set up a climate-controlled polyhouse near his home, where he planted 5,000 saplings over 230 square meters. This setup allowed him to supply fresh produce to restaurants, upscale hotels, and individual customers across Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Keonjhar. However, the heavy reliance on seasonal weather—only rainy and winter seasons were favorable—resulted in considerable losses due to climate variability.
The Breakthrough: An Indoor Hydroponic Farm
To overcome these limitations, Ashish shifted to an indoor setup. Renting a 1,250-square-foot space in the Pandara area of Bhubaneswar, he implemented a sophisticated hydroponic system that uses reverse osmosis water and specialized grow lights. This innovative approach now supports 10,000 plants in half the space required by his previous polyhouse, demonstrating a remarkable boost in efficiency.
His indoor farm produces around 15 varieties of exotic leafy greens, including lettuce, kale, pak choi, two types of basil, arugula, Swiss chard, microgreens, edible flowers, parsley, and spinach. Compared to traditional farming methods, this system uses 90% less water, underscoring its sustainability.
Farm-to-Plate Freshness
Before Ashish’s innovation, many of these exotic greens had to be imported from distant cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Pune—often losing their freshness along the way. Now, customers can visit his farm, hand-pick their vegetables, and enjoy produce that is as fresh as it is nutritious. Additionally, his ‘farm-to-plate’ concept, where freshly prepared salads are served immediately, has struck a chord with health-conscious consumers.
By merging traditional agriculture with modern technology, Ashish Mohanty not only challenges conventional farming but also paves the way for a more sustainable and locally-driven food system.
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