Kavya Dhobale, a former nurse, has turned her back on a stable government job to champion organic farming and vermicomposting in a remarkable journey.
After experiencing an overwhelming number of people suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to quit her high-paying government job and start her own vermicomposting business.
Her mission is to promote chemical-free, organic farming that boosts immunity and restores both human and environmental health.
This bold move not only reflects her personal growth but also highlights the critical need for sustainable agricultural practices in today's world.
The Catalyst: COVID-19 Experience
Kavya's journey commenced in the vibrant corridors of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College in Sion, Mumbai, where she obtained her nursing diploma in 2017.
Motivated by a strong desire to serve others, she dedicated herself as a staff nurse at TATA Hospital, providing care to cancer patients.
Her career trajectory shifted significantly in 2019 when a government position was secured at Sion Hospital, marking a new chapter in her professional life.
Kavya Dhobale’s transformative journey began under the high pressure of COVID-19 when healthcare professionals were fighting on the frontlines.
As a dedicated nurse, she handled her job of saving lives relentlessly while making profound sacrifices like staying away from her family to minimize the risk of exposure.
After having the emotional experience of losing numerous lives, Kavya experienced an emotional burden that stayed in her mind for a long time.
When she contracted COVID, she realized the chronic diseases that surround humans are because of our unhealthy lifestyles and the food we consume.
Kavya went deeper into her research and realized that the problems lie in the pesticides and chemical-laden food and organic farming is the solution.
She decided to pursue organic compost or vermicompost, which will make the cultivation natural and minimize the chemical and pesticide residue in our food.
Kavya left the security of her government job and started an innovative vision of Organic farming by mastering vermicomposting, a sustainable method that naturally enriches soil.
For the Health of People and the Planet:
After taking up vermicomposting as a full-time career, Kavya shifted to her village in Datkhilewadi in 2022 and tried solving the root cause of our diseases.
She wanted to encourage other farmers to switch to organic farming so that food, without chemicals and pesticide residue could be produced.
Her family and other farmers constantly questioned her decision as someone raised in the metropolitan of Mumbai could not thrive in agriculture, but she remained determined.
When Kavya decided to leave her government job, her family was taken aback, but she found unwavering support in her husband.
Kavya discovered that farmers were using so many pesticides that the soil was deprived of any earthworms.
Earthworms are microorganisms that play a crucial role in enhancing soil fertility, structure, and health by aerating the soil, improving drainage, and decomposing organic matter, which enriches nutrients for plant growth.
Farmers preferred chemical fertilizers because they yielded good produce and the the compost made from fresh cow dung was slower and took more resources.
Kavya decided to prepare vermicompost on her own and portray the benefits of organic farming to other farmers by providing them with education and compost that worked.
With an initial investment of ₹ 5 lakh, this Nurse-turned Farmer built a small shed to set up vermicompost beds on the modest 0.2 acres of land.
In the next six months, Kavya expanded them to 20 beds to prepare more vermicompost using cow dung which took about 60 days to prepare.
She has made her business economically viable and manufactures about 20 tonnes of rich vermicompost every month serving clients across Maharashtra.
Kavya has also achieved an impressive annual sale of ₹ 30 lakh, selling a 50 kg bag for ₹ 500, with a 50% profit margin.
After researching and experimenting, Kavya realized that the demand for vermicompost was increasing due to people’s shift to a healthy lifestyle.
Training Farmers in Organic Farming:
Although her vermicompost business was profitable, Kavya was not satisfied with just economic profit and wanted to train other farmers to engage in organic farming.
She established the “Krushi Kavya Agro Vermicompost Training Centre”, a training center to train farmers in vermicompost making.
With an expert team of 10 members, she has trained over 3000 people from Maharashtra, West Bengal, Goa, and Karnataka.
She charges a nominal fee of ₹ 1500 for a one-day training, she offers technical assistance to her students as long as they need it.
Varsha Makrand took training from Kavya and gained hands-on experience from theoretical and practical lessons in setting up compost beds and the entire process of transforming dung into compost.
This knowledge enabled her to establish a vermicompost unit in a shelter where they care for 200 bovines, sheltering them and utilizing their dung.
This has started helping them cover the costs of the cowshed and also generating profits by selling the vermicompost directly to farmers.
Conclusion:
Kavya’s journey from being a nurse to becoming an inspiring example of saving the health of our soil by using natural fertilizers is a mission for health.
By focusing on restoring health for both humans and the planet, Kavya has started cultivating long-term changes that will impact thousands of people and promote organic farming.
As India nears 2070 Net Zero Carbon Emission goals, we need leaders like Kavya who have the determination to make organic farming education viable for others.
Explore more from Naturopedia:
A Dragon Fruit Revolution: How One Doctor Empowered 5000 Farmers with Organic Farming
The Story of India’s First Organic Farm: Ambrosia Organic Farm
How a Corporate Couple transformed land into an Organic Powerhouse
Top 10 Diabetic-Friendly Foods to Include in Your Diet for Better Health
January 6th, 2025