Turmeric or ginger
Roots 15–20 cmLikes light shade, and the trellis gives it. The biggest single cheque of the year, dug in months 9–10.
Pays: month 9–10
For farmers · Shri AnnaSeva Farm · Multilayer
One acre. Four floors. Money from week 5.
एकाच जमिनीत, एकाच पाण्यात चार मजली शेतीFour floors of farming on the same land and the same water
Turmeric or ginger under the soil, fast greens on it, bitter gourd on a 6 ft trellis, and drumstick or papaya above. One drip line, one protocol, one acre. You are paid in three steps, starting in week 5.
4 floorson one acre, one drip line
Week 5first weekly payment (greens)
3 stepsweekly, monthly, harvest payment
- 410 ft: drumstick or papaya
- 36 ft trellis: bitter gourd
- 2On the soil: coriander, methi
- 1Under the soil: turmeric or ginger
Pilot design
Figures on these pages are indicative for an irrigated acre in Maharashtra and are fixed in your agreement after the soil test. This module sits inside Shri AnnaSeva Farm.
The four floors
Every height on your acre has a job.
Each floor feeds from a different depth and catches light at a different height, so the crops do not fight each other. Together they cover the soil all year and pay at different times.
Coriander · methi
Roots 5 cmA living mulch that holds weeds down and keeps the bed moist. Sown every 10 days, so there is always a cut.
Pays: from day 35Bitter gourd
Roots 40 cmVines hang clean, off the soil. First pick in 55–60 days and fruiting continues for 6–7 months.
Pays: from day 60Drumstick or papaya
Roots up to 1 mThe tallest floor takes the full sun. Drumstick pods from month 6, papaya fruit from month 8.
Pays: month 6–8 onwardTruth check
What is claimed for four-floor farming, and what we checked.
We tested every common claim about four-floor farming against ICAR and agricultural-university research before putting it on your acre.
| The claim | Verdict | What we found, and what we do |
|---|---|---|
| Turmeric/ginger swell double under 30% shade | Partly | They do like shade: ginger gave its best yield at about 25% shade, and turmeric tolerates up to 50%. The gain in trials is roughly 10–30%, not double. We plan 25–40% shade over the rhizome rows. |
| Greens as living mulch repay labour in 35 days | Holds | Coriander and methi give a first cut at 30–45 days and hold weeds down. We sow small lots every 10 days. |
| Bitter gourd on a 6 ft trellis | Holds | Vines on a trellis keep fruiting for 6–7 months against 3–4 on the ground, with cleaner fruit. First pick at 55–60 days. |
| Papaya holds up the trellis and is safe in storms | Changed | Papaya is a free-standing tree with a brittle stem. It does not carry a trellis. We tie it loosely to our poles for wind support and prune drumstick to 8–10 ft. |
| Papaya under gourd vines is fine | Changed | Papaya ringspot virus can also infect cucurbits and spreads by aphids, and experts advise keeping them apart. So drumstick is our default top floor; papaya only with your Kendra agronomist's go-ahead. |
| 70% less water | Partly | One drip line feeds all four floors. Drip typically saves 30–50% against flood irrigation; 70% only holds against growing the four crops separately. We plan on about half. |
| Triple to four times the profit by month 9 | Not 4× | Our indicative Year-1 income is about ₹4.3–4.4 lakh per acre and Year 2 about ₹5.9–6.3 lakh. Money comes earlier and steadier than from one crop, but we do not promise 4×. |
Sources: Kerala Agricultural University shade trials on ginger and turmeric; ICAR and TNAU spice and vegetable packages of practices; Pacific Pests and Pathogens, University of Hawaii and Plantix notes on papaya ringspot virus.
What it means in rupees
An acre that pays from week 5.
Indicative Year 1 for one acre with turmeric on the bottom floor. Change the top floor and see.
–Year-1 income, all three payment steps
–Kept after running costs, before set-up
–One-time set-up: beds, drip, trellis
–Cash break-even, set-up included
Not 4×, and we say so. The gain is earlier and steadier cash, spread risk and one set of water, soil work and protocol. See the full month-by-month cash on the Commercials page. Commercials →
Is it right for your acre?
Check before you commit.
A good fit
- One acre or half an acre with assured water all year, drip preferred
- Well-drained soil where water never stands
- Two family members for daily picking and trellis work
- Within reach of a BhoomiSeva Parivartan Kendra for weekly collection
Not yet
- No assured water in the dry months
- Waterlogged or heavy soil that cannot take raised beds (rhizome rot)
- Papaya with gourd in a village already hit by papaya virus
- Only one person to work: start with half an acre
The full module
Five more pages, one model.
Every number on every page comes from one shared model, so the calendar, commercials and calculator always agree.
Questions
Farmers ask.
Can I start with half an acre?
Yes. Everything scales down and the calculator has a half-acre setting. The trellis and drip are the fixed cost, so payback is a little longer.
Do I need a polyhouse or net?
No. It is an open-field system. The trellis and the top floor create the shade.
Turmeric or ginger?
Turmeric is hardier and sells well to processors. Ginger earns more per kilo but costs more to plant and is more prone to rhizome rot. The Kendra advises after your soil test.
Can I sell what BhoomiSeva does not buy?
Yes. Anything beyond the booked list is yours to sell anywhere, as on the One Rate Farm.
Where do the families come in?
Greens, gourds and drumstick pods go into the weekly baskets of families who booked and paid before you sowed. Turmeric, ginger and papaya go to BhoomiAahar buyback and processing.
Is the figure a promise?
No. It is an indicative model for an irrigated acre in Maharashtra. Your agreement fixes the numbers after the soil test.
Next steps