The Modern Farmer (Part 1) : A Struggle Against Time and Technology

In an era dominated by technology where artificial intelligence, robotics, and modern gadgets have transformed the way we live, it is almost unimaginable how far human civilization has advanced. We have reached multiple planets, collected an overwhelming amount of data, and pushed the limits of innovation. Even with all the progress, we’ve only seen a small part of what technology can do. There’s much more ahead.

Every sector, from medicine to education and research, has evolved at an exponential rate. However, one crucial sector continues to lag behind i.e., agriculture. While industries flourish with automation and advanced systems, farming remains an arduous profession, often overlooked in terms of innovation and support. This is the story of a modern farmer, a man who, despite living in a world of rapid advancements, still struggles to sustain his livelihood. He works tirelessly to support his wife, children, farmland, and livestock, fighting daily battles to survive in an era where the cost of living continues to rise.

The farmer lives in a small village, with his house situated slightly away from the village keeping him away from daily distractions. The village is blessed with lush greenery and fertile soil, with a river flowing nearby, its fresh water sustaining the land. Despite owning a few acres, his farmland is scattered across multiple locations, each separated by 9 to 12 kilometers. Managing these fragmented plots is a challenge in itself. In addition, he owns four cows and two buffaloes, which he has cared for since childhood. His responsibilities toward them often prevented him from focusing on his studies. Although he was well-educated, destiny brought him back to farming, a job that is important, but with many challenges.

The milk from his cows and buffalos is partly used at home, while the remaining is sold to a local dairy. The dung is carefully collected and used as natural fertilizer to enhance soil fertility. Some of it is also utilized for biogas production, saving him the cost of LPG cylinders. Despite these efforts, his daily routine remains exhausted

A Day in the Life of a Farmer

Unlike a 9-to-5 job that guarantees a fixed salary at the end of each month, a farmer’s work is never bound by time, nor does it promise financial security. His day begins at 6 AM, heading straight to the cattle shed to feed and clean the animals. The shed must be maintained daily, dung collected for biogas, and milk extracted for sale. Only after these , he take a quick bath and breakfast before leaving for the farm by 8 AM.

Under the terrible hot sun, he works tirelessly on his land until noon, tending to crops, maintaining the soil, and ensuring a successful yield. At 12 or 1 PM, he returns home for lunch, feeds the cattle again, and cleans their shed once more. By afternoon, he sets out to another farmland to collect fresh grass and food for his animals, either he have to carry the heavy load on his head or transporting it via a motorbike which will require additional fuel costs.

Evening by 4 PM, he returns to the fields for yet another round of labor, ensuring everything is in order before heading home by 7 PM. Back at the shed, he extracts milk for the second time, sells it to the dairy, and again feeds the cattle. After dinner at 8 PM, he spends whatever little time he has left with his family before finally resting and repeat the cycle again the next day. For a farmer, there are no weekends, no holidays, and no breaks.

The Financial Struggle

Beyond the physical work, managing expenses remains an ongoing battle. Rising fuel costs, school fees, phone and television bills, groceries, farm labor wages, fertilizers, and medical expenses for both his family and animals, all add up. While everything he needs to sustain his livelihood is expensive, the every products he works so hard to cultivate, such as milk and vegetables, are not valuable in the market.

Consider this simple yet painful reality: the farmer sells his milk to a dairy for ₹28 per liter. However, when he visits a store to buy packaged milk, he finds that a half-liter pouch costs ₹22. Despite being the producer, he earns the least from his product. He often wonders, Why is this happening? He knows that just thinking over it won’t change anything, yet he feels helpless. Lacking resources and knowledge of the latest technology, he cannot establish his own dairy brand. Even though people recognize the superior quality of fresh farm milk, they still choose convenience over purchasing from stores rather than directly from farmers.

These thoughts are in his mind every day, he keeps going, hoping for a change, but still stuck because of things he can't control.

This was manageable Until.......

(To be continued...)