Narendra Patel
Growing success under nets: The remarkable journey of young agripreneur
Village- Jhanwar, District- Jodhpur, State- Rajasthan
INTRODUCTION :
Mr. Narendra Patel (23 years), an innovative young agripreneur from Jhanwar village, Jodhpur, is a Commerce graduate (B.Com.) who initially worked in the private banking sector. Belonging to a farming family in the peri-urban region of Jodhpur, he identified protected cultivation as a modern and profitable agricultural enterprise. Exposure visits to ICAR–CAZRI, interactions with scientists, and observation of protected structures and crops motivated him to adopt modern agricultural technologies and venture into protected cultivation.
TRAINING :
Mr. Patel underwent intensive, hands-on training on protected cultivation at ICAR–CAZRI under the Agri Business Incubation Centre from 20–29 August 2024. The programme covered the fundamentals and scientific management of protected structures, including microclimate regulation, crop production practices, and integrated disease and pest management. Strong emphasis was also placed on entrepreneurial and business skills, enabling him to adopt protected cultivation as a commercially viable agri-enterprise rather than a traditional farming activity.
ACHIEVEMENTS :
After obtaining formal training, he established a self-financed 4,000 sqm nethouse in October 2024 and encouraged by the results of the very first cucumber crop, earning a net profit of ₹5.0 lakh, he expanded by installing another 4,000 sqm nethouse in 2025. The total investment was ₹50 lakh, including infrastructure development. The enterprise currently generates a net profit of about ₹20 lakh per annum from two nethouses.
IMPORTANCE FOR FARMERS :
The success of Mr. Patel clearly demonstrates how a young management graduate can build a rewarding and sustainable career in agriculture in peri-urban areas, achieving respectable and stable income through scientific farming. His experience highlights the strong profitability and viability of protected cultivation in arid and semi-arid regions. His farm now functions as a live demonstration unit, benefitting over dozen of farmers monthly from the visit.
RECOGNITION :
His achievements have gained wide recognition, with his success story published twice in Haldar Times, and he being honoured with a Farmer Award by the Government of Rajasthan. Building on this success, he has ambitious plans to further expand protected cultivation to 10–12 acres in the near future, positioning himself as a leading peri-urban agripreneur and a role model for aspiring youth in agriculture.
