Anitha
Nanda, a 61-year-old from Coorg, Karnataka,
transitioned from city life in Bangalore to running
a 150-acre sustainable coffee estate in
Coorg.
Anitha’s
love for farming began during childhood, visiting
her grandfather’s coffee estate in Coorg, sparking
her dream to return to the hills and pursue coffee
farming.
Initially facing challenges,
Anitha and her husband adopted intercropping
techniques with black pepper, leading to robust
coffee yields after 10 years.
Anitha's estate follows
eco-friendly practices, earning the Rainforest
Alliance Certification. She uses organic methods,
avoiding harmful chemicals to protect Coorg’s rich
biodiversity.
Anitha is a strong advocate
for sustainable farming, empowering around 400 women
through the Codagu Women’s Coffee Awareness Body
(CWCAB), promoting eco-friendly coffee
farming.
In
2020, Anitha received a Certificate of Appreciation
from ICAR-IISR for her innovative black pepper
intercropping with coffee, cementing her efforts
towards sustainable farming.
With costs
of Rs. 70,000 per acre for robusta and Rs. 1 lakh
for arabica, Anitha earns strong financial returns
from coffee, selling robusta cherry at Rs. 10,000
per bag and arabica parchment at Rs. 16,000 per
bag.
Anitha’s group, CWCAB,
promotes coffee culture, celebrating International
Coffee Day each year by giving free coffee to locals
and tourists in Coorg, showcasing the hard work of
coffee farmers.