Agriculture and Sustainable Farming: The Story of India’s Bicycle Man, Neeraj Kumar Prajapati

Agriculture is the largest source of livelihood in India, with 70% of rural households still depending primarily on agriculture for their livelihood. Unfortunately, the pressure on land and the use of wrong farming methods are leading to environmental degradation, low agricultural productivity, and health problems, making agriculture a social, political, and economic problem. However, one young man, Neeraj Kumar Prajapati, is determined to change this narrative, and he has already cycled over 45,800 km and met over 90,000 farmers promoting organic farming and sustainable agriculture.

Neeraj Kumar Prajapati, also known as the Bicycle Man of India, is a middle-class youth from the small town of Gohana block near Sonipat, Haryana, who decided to cycle across India on his bicycle, covering 1,11,111 km, to solve farmers’ problems and promote organic farming. His father worked with the Border Security Forces, instilling in him deep patriotic emotions to serve his country, and his brother exported technologies to other countries, making him interested in science and technology. However, after two years of studying software engineering, he decided that he needed to do something more worthwhile with his life.

Neeraj quit his engineering course and started working for a local company that made agricultural products, where he visited various villages to market those products and connected with local farmers. His desire to do more for his fellow citizens led him to research the areas where there were maximum cancer patients, and he discovered that the use of pesticides had to stop, better farming methods had to be taught to farmers, and the new generation of farmers had to be made aware of better farming techniques.

To create awareness about the use of pesticides and their harmful effects, Neeraj decided to cycle 1,11,111 km to meet farmers personally, discuss their issues, give them solutions, and make their voices heard in the highest offices where policies are made. He initiated crowdfunding on social media and bought his first cycle to start his mission from his village of Gohana. After carrying out organic farming and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for three years, he gained the confidence to train other farmers in the nearby districts of Haryana.

Neeraj cycled through Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, educating farmers about the implications of applying pesticides to their crops and raising awareness of how these chemicals are leading to an increase in lung diseases and cancer cases in the country. He taught farmers the techniques of organic farming, devised marketing channels, and selling points for their produce. Today, all these farmers are not only getting to earn more but are also producing more with limited resources.

Neeraj’s mission, purpose, and response from farmers and institutes alike have reached many senior officials working on policy-making. He is welcomed by local farmers now, with fanfare when he reaches the village boundaries, and a proper workshop and lectures are organized in advance. Although Covid-19 did stall his plans, he plans to visit Uttarakhand, Himachal, and Jammu Kashmir in 2023.

Neeraj Kumar Prajapati’s story shows that agriculture can be sustainable, and farmers can earn a decent livelihood if they adopt organic farming and Good Agricultural Practices. His efforts have helped in raising awareness among farmers and policymakers about the need for sustainable agriculture and the negative impact of pesticides on the environment and public health. Neeraj Kumar Prajapati’s story is an inspiration to many and shows that everyone can make a difference, no matter how small their contribution is.