Lucknow: Dr Kamini Singh was employed at a government institution. She had a comfortable job, but she wanted to establish her own business. In the year 2019, with a focus on supporting the local farmers, she ventured into organic farming. The purpose was to engage in the cultivation of crops with high market value using minimal fertilizers. Dr Kamini Singh did her research and decided to cultivate Moringa. Today, her company named Dr Moringa has three outlets in Lucknow. The establishment boasts a turnover of Rs 1.25 crore and works with 750 farmers and 10 to 12 permanent employees.

The beginnings 

Dr Kamini Singh holds a PhD degree in Horticulture. Despite her exceptional academic qualifications, pursuing this endeavour posed significant challenges. When she discussed about her desire to venture into farming with her family and friends, they found it incomprehensible as to why she did not want to continue a career as an academic. 

She shares that at the time there was a lack of awareness. Moreover, people underestimated her and deemed her incompetent due to her gender. The lack of support made it difficult for Dr Kamini to pursue her dreams; however, she did not lose her hopes. She took a risk by obtaining a loan from the banks. Despite everything, she remained committed to establish herself as a successful businesswoman. 

Establishing the business

Dr Kamini Singh embarked on her journey with the support of a few farmers of Pataun village in Maal district, Lucknow. During the pandemic in 2020, people learned about the health benefits of Moringa, which led to the growth of Dr Kamini’s business. She shares that not a single person in Pataun village contracted Corona. The local residents consumed parathas made of Moringa leaf. Gradually, the company gained the confidence of the customers. Furthermore, when Prime Minister Modi shared the Moringa paratha recipe in 2022, it gave a boost to Dr Kamini’s business. 

Previous jobs

For approximately 8 years, Dr Kamini Singh worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture. In the year 2019, she received training from Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) facilitated by the Bio Energy Board. After collaborating with farmers, she was able to yield positive results in her farming journey. Fortunately, this success led to the registration of the FPO in July 2019. 

In 2020, Dr Kamini Singh submitted a project as a woman scientist to the Central Institute of Medicinal Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), securing a 3-year authorization from the Government of India. She also worked as a scientist at CIMAP. She endured various challenges in her entrepreneurial journey. A significant opportunity from IIT-BHU helped her to take her business to the heights of success.

Achieving success

In the beginnings, during her research, Dr Kamini Singh learned that farmers earned around Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh from traditional crops like paddy and wheat. And Moringa crops yielded a profit of Rs 30 to 40 thousand. Recognizing this opportunity, Dr Kamini provided Moringa farming training across five districts. However, she faced significant challenges due to the limited production. Supplying the production to the markets in Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore resulted in higher costs. 

To increase the profits, she ventured into making various products of Moringa. During the same time, she benefited from ‘Raftaar,’ a scheme by IIT-BHU, which helped her secure a grant to acquire farming machinery. In 2020, a manufacturing unit was established. Presently, the unit manufactures 22 Moringa-based products, including medicinal tablets, powder, and capsules. The enterprise has connected 750 farmers to the FPO and operates three outlets in Lucknow.