How a university dropout in Murshidabad developed new seed variety, earned respect

With years of experience and a knack for farming, Biswas has come up with a new variety of seed to grow paddy. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

“I never had plans to become a farmer. I was studying in Kolkata those days when one fine morning I got to know that my elder brother has died in an accident. When I returned home, I realised if I go back to the city, my family, which comprised a blind mother, two ailing siblings, a sister-in-law and a pair of young nephew and niece, will perish. That is when I decided to take up farming,” said Biswas.

A typical day for Biswas starts at 5 am and just like any other farmer, she spends most of her time tending to her land. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

She added that the family then had just 10 kottah land, which has now increased to 5 bigha (1.65 acre) and she was clueless. “I started off by planting some vegetable seedlings but had no idea about farming. This is when I started listening to the Akashvani programmes where they used to give farming tips and got myself enrolled in various training facilitated by the agriculture department. I also enrolled for a short course at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra,” she said.

M Jamini

A typical day for Biswas starts at 5 am and just like any other farmer, she spends most of her time tending to her land. “I dedicatedly spend around 10 hours in the field and always try to come up with new techniques of farming. My aim is to save farmers from facing losses and also safeguard society at the same time,” she said.

Already an inspiration for women, Biswas said they should not be stopped from earning for their families. (Express photo by Shashi Ghosh)

With years of experience and a knack for farming, Biswas has come up with a new variety of seed to grow paddy. Named M Jamini, she claimed the seed enhances the yield and helps a farmer earn more. “Firstly, M Jamini requires less water and secondly, it can withstand the vagaries of the weather. It took me six years to come up with the variety and when I saw it was giving more yield, I asked a few of my farmer friends to try the seed. The results were encouraging,” she added.

After a round of research at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, the M Jamini seed has now been sent to the National Innovation Foundation-India for further research, she said. But a greater yield is not Biswas’s sole focus. “M Jamini requires less pesticide and fungicide. I always tell my farmer friends that their aim should not be to only earn profit. We need to understand that what we produce is consumed by lakhs of people and thus any form of chemical should be used only within the permissible limits,” she added.

A receiver of a flurry of awards, the resident of Mondolpara in Daulatabad gram panchayat shared with indianexpress.com the story of how she picked up the spade and shovelled her way out of patriarchy to support her family. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Biswas claimed that at present, around 1,000 farmers of the district are taking tips from her and despite being under research, agriculturists from several other states are already planting the M Jamini seed.

These days, Biswas mainly focuses on growing vegetables such as pointed gourds, onions and other seasonal vegetables. She also has a sprawling maize field and a huge banana orchard.

These days, Biswas mainly focuses on growing vegetables such as pointed gourds, onions and other seasonal vegetables. (Express photo by Shashi Ghosh)

‘Always found a way to stand up’

Although Biswas has tasted success and has been showered with accolades, the beginning was not easy but what kept her going was her grit and determination to support her family. “When I first began farming, people living around us would talk among themselves that despite going to the city, I could not manage to bag a job and had to take up farming in the end,” said Biswas, adding, “But I cared not. I kept working.”

Today, Mousumi Biswas is not only one of the first woman farmers in Murshidabad but is also an inspiration for several women in the district and across the state. (Express photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Already an inspiration for women, Biswas said they should not be stopped from earning for their families. “These days, family expenses have increased manifold and it is not possible for the man of the house alone to make ends meet. In fact, when it comes to farming, except for the field work, a lot of the activities, such as winnowing, are carried out by the women.”

When asked where does she draw her inspiration from, after a brief pause and a sigh, Biswas’s answer was equally gritty. “Unlike other women, I never got a chance to swing on a cradle. Life has always pushed me to the ground but I have always found a way to stand up.”