THE BACKGROUND:
Our family farm is located in Khandala, Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra, spread across 0.3 acres of land dedicated to the shed built for the animals’ comfort and care. The farm has 18 cows and buffalo and 7 to 8 calves, and each day my parents begin their mornings tending to the animals, staying active and connected to the land even after retirement.
My parents, Sheela Parkar and Narendra Parkar, invested their entire life savings after retirement to start a small cattle farm. It is managed by a small team of five; the farm supports daily feeding, veterinary care, and milk delivery. For my parents, it is more than a livelihood; it is a source of self-respect, independence, and purpose, allowing them to live with dignity while my brother and I complete our education and prepare for the future.
THE PROBLEM WE ARE FACING NOW,
- A low number of cows has disrupted milk rotation cycles
- Dependence on borrowed cattle feed
- Declining and unstable milk income
- No access to loans due to land documentation issues
- Increasing stress is affecting my parents’ health
Without intervention, the farm risks becoming financially unsustainable despite having the infrastructure, experience, and commitment to succeed.
THE SOLUTION:
This campaign aims to revive and stabilize the farm by increasing the number of cows, improving milk production, feed availability, and income balance. Through this campaign, we have planned to purchase 8 high-quality cows, insuring all animals for 3 years, and ensuring proper transportation and veterinary support.
Your support will secure my parents' livelihood, reduce financial and emotional stress, and protect the future of this responsibly run rural farm. It will allow my brother and me to focus on our education, and most importantly, enable our parents to live independently with purpose and pride on their land.
This campaign aims to revive and support my parents' dairy farm, which requires INR 12 Lakhs, that includes the purchase of cows, insurance, transportation, and crowdfunding charges.
VERMICOMPOST: SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE FARMING
Alongside dairy farming, the farm also produces vermicompost, made using cattle waste. This natural fertilizer improves soil health, supports local agriculture, and creates an additional income stream.
Vermicomposting reflects my parents’ belief in sustainable, circular farming, where nothing goes to waste. With improved cattle health and numbers, vermicompost production will increase, further strengthening the farm’s resilience.
PIC: The above image shows my parents, Sheela Parkar and Narendra Parkar, at our small rural dairy farm.
ABOUT ME:
My name is Shrutee, and I am a medical doctor currently pursuing a PhD at Kyoto University, Japan.
My parents are retired and run a small cattle farm in Khandala, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, which is their only source of income. They invested their life savings into this farm with the hope of staying independent, active, and connected to the land after retirement.
However, due to challenges such as low cattle numbers, fluctuating milk production, and limited access to formal loans because of land documentation issues, the farm is currently under financial strain.
I am currently pursuing my PhD, and my younger brother is also a student. At this stage, we are unable to support our parents financially. It costs just INR 12L to revive our dairy farm completely. This campaign is my way of standing by them, so they can continue farming with dignity, stabilize their income, and secure a sustainable future.
Your support will not only help revive a family-run dairy farm but also protect the well-being and independence of two elderly farmers who have worked hard all their lives.
Your support will help us to increase the farm to stop borrowing cattle feed, maintain healthy breeding cycles, cover expenses independently, and provide long-term financial stability. A detailed cost breakdown has been mentioned below to revive and restore our dairy farm.
COST BREAK-UP:
MAP:
MY PARENTS, ALONG WITH THE CARETAKERS OF THE FARM:
The farm is managed by a small, dedicated team of five: my parents, two full-time caretakers, and one delivery person. Together, they ensure proper animal care, nutrition, veterinary support, and timely milk delivery.
FAQs
How can we fund this campaign with a Cheque?
Fueladream Online Ventures Pvt Ltd account details are as below:
BANK NAME: HDFC Bank Limited.
BRANCH: Koramangala( Main Branch). City: Bengaluru - 560095.
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 50200013106778
IFSC CODE: HDFC0000053
Please draw a cheque in favor of "Fueladream Online Ventures Pvt Ltd", and deposit the cheque into the Fueladream Online Ventures Pvt Ltd HDFC Bank account (any branch across INDIA). After you deposit the cheque, please send an email to prasad@fueladream.com AND getintouch@fueladream.com with the following funder information:
1) Name of Funder:
2) Full address with Pin code:
3) Telephone/Mobile no and Email ID:
4) Cheque number:
5) Amount funded:
6) Whose campaign are you funding. (Name of the person OR campaign number/ID):
After the funds are received and the above details are verified, the fund amount will be transferred to the respective campaign. This can take 1-3 working days.
How does crowdfunding work?
Crowdfunding in India is a relatively new concept and is growing very quickly.
It’s a concept that allows a large number of funders (like you) to fund an idea, a cause or an event by giving small amounts of money online. Fueladream.com is a crowdfunding platform in India that allows for the pooling of funds. You can fund innovations and ideas on FuelADream and be the first to get these products or make them come true. You can also do a good deed by funding charities and causes through crowdfunding.
