: 23-YO Uses Terrace Garden to Launch ‘Strawberry Revolution’ in Parched Bundelkhand #IndiaNEWS #Agriculture Every year, during the summer months, the residents of the Bundelkhand region, between

23-YO Uses Terrace Garden to Launch ‘Strawberry Revolution’ in Parched Bundelkhand #IndiaNEWS #Agriculture
Every year, during the summer months, the residents of the Bundelkhand region, between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, battle water scarcity. According to news reports, in 2020, water scarcity was a bigger crisis in this region than the coronavirus pandemic.
But, 23-year-old Gurleen Chawla, a resident of Jhansi and a law graduate from Indian Law Society’s (ILS) Law College, Pune, has kickstarted a revolution by growing strawberries in this water-parched region.
How? It all started in her terrace garden.
“When I was back home at Jhansi during the lockdown, I decided to take up a new hobby and keep myself occupied by growing vegetables and fruits on our terrace. Initially, I planted kitchen staples including tomatoes and chillies. But, strawberries are my favourite fruit and I consumed it regularly when I was in Pune. So, I decided to try growing that too,??? says Gurleen.
Now, she grows the fruit on 1. 5 acres of land and makes a living by selling 60 to 65 kilograms of it.
Gurleen Chawla harvesting strawberries in her farm.
From growing them on her home’s terrace to launching a business, Gurleen shares how she started growing strawberries in a water-scarce area.
Strawberries: A ‘low-maintenance’ fruit
In May 2020, when Gurleen decided to try her hand at growing strawberries, she reached out to a nursery in Pune that was selling the plant’s seedlings.
“I purchased 15 saplings and had them delivered to my home. I planted them in cocopeat bags and watered them regularly. To ensure they grew healthily, I did a lot of research online. That is when I learnt that strawberries grow well on soil that is loose and that it has a low water-retention capacity,??? says Gurleen, adding that the plants grow well in low temperatures and require low maintenance because they are not prone to pests.
Within a few weeks, 10 of the saplings had tiny strawberries growing on them. But, these did not grow to a full-size. So, Gurleen plucked the tiny berries and ate a few only to realise they tasted delicious even though they were not full-size.
“After further research and speaking to other strawberry farmers, I learned that planting it in coco peat was one of the reasons for failure. Then I thought, why not grow these on the ground instead of my terrace,??? says Gurleen, adding that she used the land that her father, a businessman, had purchased many years ago.
The seven-acre plot was located a few kilometres away from her home and had been left empty because the family had not decided what to do with it yet. Gurleen also says that before her father purchased the land, it was used by local farmers to cultivate vegetables.

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