In a world chasing instant results and quick fixes, retired IAS officer T Vijay Kumar chose a slower, deeper path—he chose to heal the soil. In the sun-soaked fields of Andhra Pradesh, once poisoned by decades of chemical farming, a silent transformation is underway. And at the heart of it stands a man who traded his office desk for open skies and conversations with farmers.
The Rise of Natural Farming in Andhra Pradesh
In villages where pesticide residues once crept into mothers’ milk, today neem, jaggery, and cow dung are the tools of a quiet revolution. Spearheading this change is Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), a model that rejects synthetic fertilizers and restores the land using only natural, locally sourced inputs. But it didn’t start in labs or legislative halls—it began with trust, with listening, and with leadership that walked alongside farmers.
After retiring in 2016, T Vijay Kumar didn’t step away. Instead, he became an Advisor to the Government of Andhra Pradesh on Agriculture and Vice-Chairman of Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, a state-backed agency leading the transition to natural farming. His mission: to rebuild not just the land, but the relationship between farmers and their soil.
From Bureaucrat to Changemaker
Throughout his career, Kumar worked with the most marginalized communities—tribals, rural women, and landless farmers. As the former head of the Girijan Cooperative Corporation and CEO of the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, he built systems that empowered millions. But in this new chapter, his role has been more personal.
He didn’t bring sweeping declarations. Instead, he brought people together—farmers teaching farmers, women making bio-inputs, neighbors learning from neighbors. What began as a whisper of change became a movement as lakhs of farmers shed chemical dependence and returned to their roots.
‘Let the Soil Breathe’
Kumar’s approach defied the norm. No subsidies. No freebies. No pressure. Just patient proof. “Let the soil breathe,” he often says. “It will reward you.”
A 2023 documentary, Indian Soil in Revolution, captured this grassroots shift and introduced international audiences to his work. At a screening in Delhi, when asked if farmers feared lower yields, he replied calmly, “Yes, at first. But once the soil heals, the land gives back more than ever.”
A Movement Rooted in Maternal Instinct
This isn’t just a farming shift. It’s a societal one. Women who once led savings groups now lead the natural farming movement—preparing organic inputs, influencing their families, and demanding safer food for their children.
Today, over 8 lakh farmers have adopted natural farming in Andhra Pradesh. The vision? To reach 90% of cultivable land by 2026.
A Legacy Beyond the Limelight
T Vijay Kumar doesn’t call this a revolution. He calls it a return. To wisdom. To sustainability. To dignity in farming. As he continues working not from podiums but under the canopy of trees with villagers, his legacy grows—not in policy papers, but in healthier soil, safer food, and farmers free from debt.
In an era of noise, his message is quiet, powerful, and enduring: heal the soil, and everything else will follow.