On his terrace, Joseph Lobo, a trailblazing urban farmer from Shankarpur, Udupi, Karnataka, has effectively grown the rare and premium Miyazaki mangoes in an amazing show of creativity and commitment. Being the first individual in India and the Gulf area to reach this milestone, this amazing feat defines him. His path into farming is evidence of his love of the surroundings and his dedication to environmentally friendly, sustainable farming.
Joseph's journey into farming is one of resiliency and change. Originally a driver, he discovered he was drawn to the natural world and the possibility it presented for bringing about good changes. Eventually, this love of the natural world drove him to investigate farming as a way to help with environmental sustainability and augment his income.
His first venture into farming was in jasmine growing, a common commodity in his hometown. At first, jasmine farming seemed bright, but Joseph quickly saw that limited land and logistical difficulties connected with conventional farming were major hurdles. Scaling his agricultural activities was greatly hampered by the limits of land and the requirements of conventional farming techniques. Joseph's will to work in agriculture, though, never changed.
Understanding he had to innovate, Joseph decided boldly to concentrate on terrace farming. This action freed him from the space restrictions that had hampered his previous attempts and created fresh opportunities for research with a wider variety of crops. Often viewed as unorthodox, terrace farming turned as Joseph's vehicle for investigating the possibilities of urban agriculture.
Reaching up to Rs. 2.74 lakh a kilogramme, Joseph's most famous accomplishment is his successful cultivation of Miyazaki mangoes, a premium Japanese variety famed for their extraordinary sweetness and high market value. These unusual-shaped mangoes, sometimes called Egg Mangoes, take roughly three and a half years to produce fruit; Joseph's accomplishment growing them on a terrace is unparalleled in both India and the Gulf countries.
Joseph bases his agricultural method on organic techniques. To help plants flourish, he depends on organic manures, bio compost, cocopeat, and organic liquid Activzyme, or Activmax. Surprisingly, Joseph emphasises selling Miyazaki mango saplings priced at Rs. 2,500 each instead of his fruits. His seedlings are much sought for as a grafting specialist, drawing customers from places including Kolkata, Bangalore, Mangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Gujarat, and Delhi.
Apart from his accomplishment with Miyazaki mangoes, Joseph has advanced other creative crops on his patio with great success. One such crop is the air potato, a plant providing an original take on conventional potato farming. Air potatoes are a perfect fit for terrace farming, unlike regular potatoes, which grow beneath earth.
The unusual growth style of the air potato lets one root generate up to 500 potatoes, therefore optimising a high production from a quite small area. Along with providing a sustainable substitute for conventional potato farming, this crop shows Joseph's creative thinking and exploration of fresh agricultural opportunities. Any urban farm would benefit much from the high yield and low area needs of the air potato, therefore confirming Joseph's position as a creative leader in sustainable agriculture.
The testimony of Joseph's commitment to agricultural variety and creativity is his terrace farm. Covering 1,400 square feet, this urban haven has more than 350 different kinds of international and Indian fruits and vegetables. Along with 30 species of mangoes, including Katimon, Vastara, Kalapadi, Mallika, Neelam, Ratnagiri, Baramasi, and of course Miyazaki, Joseph has amassed an incredible array of over 70 varieties of cherry, including Barbera, British, and Cocoplum cherries.
His respect for variety goes beyond mangoes and cherries. Among the several lemon kinds, Joseph's terrace farm features are Finger lemon, variegated lemon, Kolkata lemon, and Seedless Malta. Every variety is meticulously grown to guarantee the best quality, and Joseph's meticulous nature is seen in the vibrant plants covering his terrace.
Joseph's love of farming is only one factor contributing to his amazing variety; another is his conviction of the need for protecting and advancing biodiversity. Joseph is helping to preserve uncommon and distinctive types by growing such a large range of plants, ensuring their ongoing survival in a world that is fast changing.
Years of commitment, education, and adaptation have brought Joseph success in farming. Always eager to learn new methods and expertise to enhance his farming methods, he therefore routinely visits Krishi Expos, where he learns fresh methods and finds unusual plants to improve his farm even more.
His agricultural contributions are not unappreciated. Among the several companies Joseph has been honoured by are Manipal Technologies Limited (MTL), Rotary, Jasmin Business Centre, and Lions Club. These honours are evidence of his influence on the agriculture sector and the more general subject of sustainable farming.
Apart from his own farm, Joseph is committed to teaching people about environmentally friendly farming. Along with running a YouTube channel to promote fruit and vegetable farming, he provides free consultations for farmers and attends Krishi Expos. Supported by his wife and a group of fifteen labourers, Joseph's agricultural output is significant and broad.
"Never use chemicals that are in the market; they are poison," Joseph counsels other farmers and the general public. Go towards sustainability; use organic methods; protect the environment. His path from a chauffeur to a renowned urban farmer is a shining example of the force of enthusiasm and tenacity in reaching revolutionary success in sustainable farming. Joseph Lobo motivates us all, even in the smallest areas of green, by his creative terrace farming methods.
Joseph Lobo's journey provides an establishing reminder of the creative ability everyone of us has to innovate and bring about good change independent of our starting location. In addition to highlighting the opportunities of sustainable urban farming, his innovative work in terrace farming and organic agriculture inspires next generations of farmers. By his relentless dedication to organic methods and his vision of a cleaner, more sustainable planet, Joseph is opening the path for a new age in Indian agriculture that respects the earth and the life dependent on it.