At 67, This Retired Coal Foreman Is Doubling Paddy Yields Through Vermi Grid Matrix Farming In Chhattisgarh
A retiree is changing the way paddy is grown using a grid-like farming method, vermicomposting and the will to achieve more produce in Korba.
Published : September 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM IST
By Rajkumar Shah
Korba: Sixty-seven-year-old Ram Ratan Nikunj had never imagined that post retirement years for him will open a new chapter of his life. Coming back to his native Jhagraha village of Korba, after retiring form service as foreman from South Eastern Coalfields Limited in 2018, Ram Ratan decided to devote time to farming. So he took to the five acres land he has and got down to soil his hands experimenting with paddy cultivation.
In five to seven years, Ram Ratan's experimentations varied from blending traditional farming with modern techniques to use of fewer seeds with organic manure. He finally succeeded with his latest experiment ‘Vermi Grid Matrix’ farming at an age when others usually slow down. He also chose to propagate his mantra of success among others who can reap a rich produce from the same patch of land.
Today, Ram Ratan’s farms are marked by lush green rows of paddy that sway in perfect symmetry, neat, uniform and he is sure to reap yield far higher than what the average farmer expects. His Vermi Grid Matrix farming is now turning heads across Korba villages
With this method, he expects to harvest nearly 35 quintals of paddy per acre, almost double the district average.
“After retirement from service I wanted to invest my time in something productive. So instead of sitting idle, I wanted to work on my land and make it a model farm,” says Nikunj. He started with simple row sowing but quickly turned to scientific techniques. For him 2023 proved a turning point when he tried the Vermi Grid Method, which combines vermicompost-based soil enrichment with systematic planting.
What is Vermi Grid Matrix Farming?
It is a farming technique that divides a field into multiple grids, each enriched with vermicomposting, which is nutrient-rich manure produced by earthworms. Ready paddy saplings, about 10-20 days old, are planted at equal spacing of one foot dimension. The method ensures balanced nutrition, decreases the need for chemicals, improves soil quality by making it more fertile, and keeps weeds away by using a mechanical weeder. The weeder also processes the uprooted grass to help it assimilate in soil.
“You can see how beautiful the paddy fields look when the plants grow in rows. Not a single weed can be found and the method does not use pesticides. The plants stay healthy and strong,” Ram Ratan explains, running his hand over the emerald stalks.
District Agriculture Officer Sanjay Patel says the method is beneficial for the farmers. “Traditional farmers who usually harvest 15–20 quintals paddy per acre, can easily reap 35–45 quintals per acre with Vermi Grid method. The costs are lower, soil health improves, and dependency on chemicals is reduced. It was this process of cultivation that fetched Ram Ratan the first position in Chhattisgarh as a successful farmer,” he explains.
Tagged as the rice bowl of the country, such innovations have the potential to redefine sustainability in Chhattisgarh villages even more. “Last year I tried this on a small patch and the production nearly doubled. This year I am sure that at least 35 quintals per acre will be reaped,” says Ram Ratan. “But I want more farmers to adopt this. Because this process can give good profit and the environment will not be wrongly impacted,” he adds.
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