How a young farmer has transformed his family’s paddy fields into thriving farms
Unlike many young boys and girls from his village, Amar Rajendra Kadam never aspired for city life. But when challenges on the family farm grew, he took up a job in Mumbai.
When the Covid lockdown brought him back to Naneghol village (Poladpur taluka), Amar saw it as a sign—to return to his roots and revive the land his grandparents once cultivated with love, though it had only ever grown paddy.
Determined to make rural life work, he began planting saplings, only to watch them wither in the scorching Konkan summer. That’s when he sought Swades Foundation's support with drip irrigation. Slowly, the farm flourished.
Today, Amar’s farm - once home to rain-fed paddy only - is thriving with mango, cashew, turmeric, avocado, pineapple, and organically grown dragon fruit. His last dragon fruit harvest yielded 200 kgs, making it a source of inspiration for farmers in the region.
Determined to make rural life work, he began planting saplings, only to watch them wither in the scorching Konkan summer. That’s when he sought Swades Foundation's support with drip irrigation. Slowly, the farm flourished.
Today, Amar’s farm - once home to rain-fed paddy only - is thriving with mango, cashew, turmeric, avocado, pineapple, and organically grown dragon fruit. His last dragon fruit harvest yielded 200 kgs, making it a source of inspiration for farmers in the region.
But Amar’s story doesn’t stop at his own farm. As a Swades Sarvekshan Mitra, he now helps other farmers lay the foundations for their own orchards—spreading knowledge, and hope.
“I want to help as many people as possible in my village and beyond, to see the value in working on their own farms – it can be fulfilling and empowering if you have good guidance and therefore I want to share my learning with more people,” he says.
Because when rural youth are empowered, they don’t just stay. They lead.
