Ankita Kumawat quit her corporate job and is now the co-owner of Maatratav Dairy and Organic Farm which has nearly 100 cattle. Hailing from Ajmer, Rajasthan, she studied at Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. Ankita’s sole purpose behind launching this initiative was to fight adulteration in food. Her cooperative also grows wheat, seasonal vegetables and fruits. The idea was born when Phoolchand Kumawat, Ankita’s father, took voluntary retirement and decided to take up organic farming. His idea was to provide good quality products for his family. Ankita had already suffered from food poisoning as a child and since then she has been allergic to packet milk.
To make sure that his daughter wasn’t deprived of vital nutrients, Phoolchand bought a cow worth Rs 3500 and thus began the journey of supplying milk to their neighbours. Phoolchand was still not pursuing his products with an intensive marketing spree, but his daughter convinced him to the contrary.
Leaving a lucrative full-time job as an assistant manager in a reputed firm, Ankita decided to become a farmer alongside her father. Mixing traditional and modern farming, she was determined to use her managing skills as well as bring in as many eco-friendly practices to the farm as possible. From drip-irrigation to solar panels and rainwater harvesting, this new age entrepreneur was ready to give a twist to her father’s farming business.
Breaking the shackles, Ankita focussed on organic dairy and made dairy products available for home delivery. She then added organic vegetables, grains, flour, honey, spices, etc. to her spread and today, her products have a significant demand even in the neighbouring villages. Ankita completed a course in Mushroom Farming from Solan, Himachal Pradesh in order to enhance her knowledge in the field.
Ankita invested into the venture from her own pocket and used up her savings, but her mission was clear. She wanted to provide unadulterated food to her people in Ajmer. She was driven towards providing pure milk which is chemical-free and distributed the products at the right price.
The key challenge that she faced with the villagers was their resistance to change and their lack of interest in the taste of the milk or the hygiene of a cow for that matter. Her team aims to tap into the multitudinous possibilities that organic farming and dairy industries have to offer.
