Merging agriculture with innovation, young farmer Ashish Mohanty has successfully established Odisha's first indoor hydroponic farm by growing vegetables without soil or sunlight. At a time when many young people are turning away from farming, Ashish has left a high-paying job to create employment opportunities in the agricultural sector.
Ashish hails from Sujang village in Jagatsinghpur district. A science graduate from SVM College in Jagatsinghpur, he completed his post-graduation in chemistry from VIMSAR, Burla. Despite securing a job in a reputed company in Hyderabad, Ashish wanted to be self-reliant.
During his research, he discovered the concept of soil-less farming and decided to explore it further. After gathering knowledge through YouTube, he experimented with hydroponic farming on his rooftop in 2019, planting 2,400 exotic leafy greens over an 800-square-foot area. Seeing both success in cultivation and growing market demand, he decided to expand his venture.
Ashish then set up a climate-controlled polyhouse near his home and planted 5,000 saplings over 230 square meters. He supplied fresh produce to restaurants, star hotels, and individuals in Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Keonjhar. However, due to climate change, his farming was limited to only rainy and winter seasons, leading to significant losses.
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