Rukmangat Gund’s Journey of Sustainability from a Small Village to National Appreciation

A story of Innovation, perseverance and strength of farmer networks

By Uttara Unnikrishnan

Let’s meet Rukmangat Bharath Gund. a farmer from North Solapur, Maharashtra who turned a simple demo kit into an exceptional yield and national recognition. He is not your typical headline maker like a politician or CEO. But on the 7th of July, 2025, his name was announced before an audience of government officials, agricultural business leaders and scientists at the 11th Indian Maze Conference in New Delhi. He has done what very few in India could - the highest ever recorded maize yield in India under an intercropping system: 28 quintals per acre.

Rukmangat is a 10th pass farmer from a small village called Shivani which has a population of less than a 1000. He, along with his brother cultivates 15 acres of irrigated land where they grow a combination of sugarcane, maize and onions. He comes from a family with generations of farmers, so it’s not new to him. But what makes Gund different is his willingness to adapt to innovation.

In 2024, during the Rabi season, Gund was provided with a demonstration kit from ICAR- Indian Institute of maize Research (IIMR), which held DHM-!!& hybrid maize seeds and a mix of Micronutrients. With proper training and scientific guidance from ICAR-IIMR scientists and Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV) scientists of Rahuri, he applied drip irrigation, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and meticulous maize- sugarcane intercropping system.

The outcome was both remarkable and practical. Gund gained profit and also recouped a large portion of his sugarcane input expenses by selling maise at ₹2,450 per quintal. The result? A sugarcane crop that would give him 70-75 tons per acre- an achievement very few would expect from what they considered a risky strategy.

Behind all this success is an important network of grassroots support. Gund is a member of the Shri Ganesh Farmer Group and is associated with the HORTIMAX Farmer Producer Company, established under Project FarmMax, a joint initiative by Manavlok and the Thermax Foundation.

Manavlok (Marathwada Navnirman Lokayat) is a pioneering NGO of Ambajogai, Beed district, famous for its rural development, sustainable agriculture, women empowerment, and relief work in the event of drought. For decades, the organization has been countering agrarian distress by facilitating farmers to cut costs, increase yields, and become part of cooperatives that provide better access to markets. Manavlok through Project FarmMax enables farmers with free certified seeds, technical training, exposure visits, and support for post-harvest activities, empowering them not only with resources, but with confidence and knowledge.

“The benefits offered by IIMR should reach every farmer in the country,” says Gund.

In an industry too often burdened by uncertainty , Rukmangat Gund's tale provides a grounded model of what can be achieved when science, sustainability, and grassroot backing align. His achievement is not chance, it's the result of smart decisions, institutional connections, and a readiness to evolve. With agriculture looking for models that are climate-resilient as well as economically sustainable, Gund is part of an increasing number of farmers who are not just keeping their heads above water. They are thriving and demonstrating that farming, when properly done, is still a future worth investing in.