In recent years, a fresh approach to farming has gradually gained popularity in rural areas of the country. This method has brought numerous benefits to farmers, including improved crop yields and a steady weekly income.
This innovative farming technique is known as multilayer farming. It enables the cultivation of a greater variety of crops on limited land space. One of the key figures behind this movement is Akash Chaurasia, a trailblazer in this field. With a collection of more than 20 national accolades, this 32-year-old has provided hands-on training to approximately 80,000 farmers. He has also educated around 12 lakh individuals about the advantages of multilayer farming.
Hailing from a family of beetle nut cultivators in Sagar, a small town in Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Akash Chaurasia had aspirations of becoming a doctor during his upbringing. However, his perspective changed. He recognized that the escalating number of illnesses, doctors, and hospitals was interconnected with the quality of our food and drink. This realization led him to address the fundamental issue at its source – through farming. He explained, “The core of all ailments lies in our dietary choices, and I chose to tackle this issue by embracing farming.”
Exploring multi-layer farming
Once Akash fully embraced the world of farming, he engaged in conversations with numerous fellow farmers. He delved into the myriad of challenges they grapple with nowadays—ranging from issues tied to water availability and fertilizers, to the impacts of climate change and insect invasions, not to mention the complexities of marketing and sales. This contemplation led him, in 2014, to conceive a groundbreaking solution: the concept of cultivating multiple types of crops on a single piece of land.
His ingenious plan involved planting different layers of crops, with some growing underground and others on the surface. His initial ventures comprised tomatoes and bitter gourd, yet he didn’t stop there; he explored diverse crop combinations.
However, Akash encountered his first major hurdle—overgrowth of grass and weeds. He revealed, “The seeds caused a significant amount of grass growth, which weakened the crops. And eradicating these unwanted plants incurred substantial costs.” To tackle this issue, he integrated leafy crops—similar to those cultivated on the surface—such as spinach, coriander, and fenugreek. By cultivating these fast-growing leafy crops, the space available for grass was inherently reduced. “Within this system, we managed to control about 80 percent of the grass.”
Subsequently, Akash faced the challenge of limited space. He acknowledged the value and scarcity of land, especially since many present-day farmers only possess small plots, often measuring between two to five acres. Moreover, as time passes, these plots get divided among generations, resulting in even smaller portions for each farmer. Driven by this reality, he began brainstorming ways to maximize productivity on limited land.
His inspiration came from the towering skyscrapers in the city. He elaborated, “I was drawn to the idea of accommodating more people in less space.” Akash’s innovative model also made use of vertical space. He constructed a structure using bamboo that reached a height of 6.5 feet. This structure featured a lattice on top, allowing sunlight to partially filter through while providing partial shade. Here, he cultivated creeping plants, introducing a third crop into the same space.
In this multi-layered approach, there was yet another layer dedicated to a fourth type of crop, which included seasonal fruit trees like mango, papaya, and sapota (chikoo). These fruit trees formed the tallest component of his multi-layered farming design.
Benefits of multilayer farming
In this farming method, multiple layers of crops are grown to stop water from evaporating. This saves a lot of water – around 80% less than what’s used in open fields. In open fields, 100 liters of water are used for one crop, but with multiple layers, only about 30% of that water is needed for four crops. This means each crop grows using about 7% of the water, and compared to open fields, around 93 liters of water are saved.
On top of saving water, the farmer earns money from four types of crops that grow in different seasons. For instance, leafy greens like spinach provide income from March to July, creepers like scarlet gourds bear fruit from April to November, ginger grows underground and is ready for sale in August, and papaya trees produce fruit from December to January. This consistent rotation ensures a steady income and makes farmers more financially independent. Akash, the farmer we’re talking about, earns an annual income of Rs 30 lakh from this model.
This farming approach is also better for the environment. The farmer uses bamboo or sticks that can naturally break down, so there’s no need to buy materials from the market. Unlike polyhouses that harm the environment and produce chemically treated food, this method is eco-friendly, profitable for farmers, and provides chemical-free food.
“Everyone deserves good food,” says Akash, and his work gives him hope and motivation. He educates people in person and also has a YouTube channel to spread awareness about his approach. He provides information for anyone interested in trying this farming method, and he teaches them every step, from preparing the soil to cultivating the crops. Farmers don’t need to buy the model from a company or rely on subsidies.
This method is gaining popularity. For example, Sorav Patra from Kalyani, Kolkata, has been practicing it for three months and is already seeing better results than traditional farming. He used to wait a whole year for a single yield, but now he’s getting multiple high-quality crops in just a few months.
Akash’s goal is for more people to adopt this method as awareness grows. He acknowledges that traditional farming might be easier, but multilayer farming requires careful planning and engineering. As he continues to spread the word, he’s also working on innovations related to water, biodiversity, and food processing to improve the entire agricultural process.
