Meet Chanchala Mahanta, Odisha’s Inspiring Integrated Farmer

Chanchala Mahanta, a woman farmer from Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, stands as a remarkable example of resilience, determination, and effective farming. Despite enduring personal tragedies, including the loss of her husband three years ago, the deaths of her in-laws, and caring for her young son who has a terminal illness affecting his eyesight, she has remained hopeful.

She transformed her farm into a diverse livelihood model, steadily increasing her income while inspiring other women to achieve financial independence.

Today, Chanchala is recognized as a successful integrated farmer. She combines agriculture, horticulture, livestock, and related activities to create multiple income sources. “I have not confined myself to one thing. I cultivate rice on 3 acres of land and grow various seasonal vegetables. I also have a lemon orchard that brings in about ₹90,000, and I have planted cashew trees that earn me around ₹30,000,” she said.

She also raises goats and manages poultry farming. From goat rearing alone, she makes over ₹1 lakh each year and maintains a healthy herd of 30 goats, and 70 poultry birds, earning her the title “Lakhpati Didi” in her block. She added, explaining how diversifying has helped her financial security.

One of her boldest decisions was to start growing marigolds, a move that initially attracted criticism. “I also grow marigolds. However, people in  my village made fun and criticized me for it. But I didn’t care for criticism and used the government scheme for marigold cultivation to show farmers that it can help improve our income. I wanted to inspire farmers to try different crops instead of sticking to just one type of farming,” she said.

Her determination paid off. For her marigold farming, she received awards at the district level from the Horticulture Department. Her thriving lemon orchard, planted with her late husband, consists of 400 trees. It remains one of her proudest achievements and a steady income source for her family.

Chanchala credits much of her success to structured support. She received training from Heifer International, Passing Gifts, and NGO partners on scientific methods for goat and poultry rearing. She also learned about fodder cultivation and multi-crop farming, which helped her integrate crops and livestock effectively.

“We have been into goat farming for a long time, but we used traditional methods before. That often led to losses because of high goat mortality,” she recalled.

Her turning point came when she received professional training in goat and poultry farming. “During the training, we learned about goat shelters, balanced feeding, vaccinations, and mineral supplements. Before, we would just let the goats graze freely without extra nutrition or vaccinations, which caused low weight gain and frequent deaths. Now our goats are healthy and mortality has reduced significantly,” she stated proudly.

In addition to lemons, rice, vegetables, and cashews, she grows Napier grass, moringa, and azolla to provide nutritious fodder for her goats and poultry. This combination of crops, livestock, and water resources through her farm pond has lowered costs, boosted productivity, and ensured year-round income.

Today, Chanchala manages her farming operations on her own and has taken advantage of various government programs related to agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, and fisheries to expand her work. “Being a woman farmer, I never limited myself to just one activity. I explored various government programs and put them into practice. My success will hopefully encourage other women to take advantage of these programs and build a secure future for themselves,” she explained.

Her efforts have earned her numerous awards and recognition from government departments at the block, district, and state levels. She was honoured as “Lakhpati Didi” at the block level, confirming her reputation as a leading woman farmer.

However, her journey has not been without challenges. Some villagers resented her success and tried to discourage her. Nevertheless, she remained determined. “The journey has been hard. I lost my loved ones, and my son may lose his eyesight in the future. But I want to prove that a woman can handle everything and succeed in whatever she chooses to do. Farming is often seen as a man’s domain, but through my work, I want to show that women can also be successful farmers,” Chanchala said with determination.

Through hard work, creativity, and a well-organized farming model, Chanchala Mahanta has not only increased her income through various sources but has also become a symbol of women’s empowerment in Mayurbhanj and a role model for farmers across Odisha.