`Earn ₹40,000 a month by sitting at home' messages flood WhatsApp every day. While many fall prey to such scams, a 29-year-old farmer in Thrissur is earning that same amount from the field right next to his home. Meet Rithul, of Chalissery Kuttukkaran House in Arimbur Aaramkallu, Thrissur district.

Rithul’s farming journey began long before his school lessons. As a boy, he would build barriers to prevent water from flooding the fields before heading to class. His father and grandfather were farmers. Though he was not a topper in exams, he consistently excelled in the field, whether planting seedlings, harvesting crops or threshing grain. At a very young age, he learned the timing for weeding and ploughing. Later, he enrolled in a B Com degree simply to graduate. But even during college, his holidays and evenings were devoted to farming.

After completing his degree, Rithul chose farming as his livelihood without hesitation, despite knowing the challenges involved. His family was initially reluctant, and neighbours advised him to seek opportunities abroad or in other professions. But Rithul was clear that no other career could match his passion for farming. At the time, his family cultivated paddy on two acres. Realising paddy alone would not suffice, he bought another 50 cents of land and began vegetable farming.

His crops include ash gourd, pumpkin, elephant foot yam, taro, bottle gourd, beans, brinjal, tomato and lady’s finger. He also grows coconuts, rears cows, hens, ducks and doves, and has recently ventured into beekeeping. He also cultivates sesame seeds, black gram, finger millet and fodder grass for cattle.

Rithul’s day in the fields begins at 7 am, after milking the cow and delivering milk to the local society and nearby households. His parents, Elsa and Devassy, support him in his work. He has also taken up fish farming in a tank beside his house.

Finding the market
Rithul believes that many farmers tend to give up easily, not because of poor yields, but due to difficulty in finding markets. From the outset, he focused equally on marketing and farming. He delivers vegetables directly to homes and even supplies cut vegetables to busy households, which he says has found many takers. “One kilogram of long beans fetches ₹40, but selling it after due processing brings around ₹110,” he explains.

Compost for profit
Diversifying further, Rithul ventured into vermicomposting. He prepares compost by layering four layers in a tank using coconut fibre, waste and dung water. After seven days, African soil worms are introduced, and the mixture is stirred weekly with dung water. Within 50 days, the compost is ready. The vermi wash released through a pipe fetches ₹25 per litre. It is used to improve plant growth. The compost itself sells for ₹20 per kilogram.

With his innovative approach and relentless passion, Rithul has turned farming into a sustainable livelihood, earning ₹40,000 a month while inspiring others to see agriculture as a viable career.