A New Star in the Rural Economy
through Nursery Business: Sohel Molla

Sohel Molla, a young man from Faridpur, once dreamed of moving abroad. Today, he has created an inspiring example of success right in his own village. With the support of SDC, he has become a successful agricultural entrepreneur by producing soil seedlings using cocopeat (soilless cultivation).

His nursery produces over a hundred thousand safe vegetable seedlings annually, which are now being distributed to various corners of the country. Through his hard work, he is self-reliant today and has set a new benchmark in the rural economy.

The Main Story:

Sohel Molla (35), a farmer from Boalmari, Faridpur, is now a leading agricultural entrepreneur whose nursery is transforming the local rural economy. Supporting a five-member family, Sohel's passion for farming began in childhood while helping his father, sparking a lifelong dream to modernize agriculture. However, financial uncertainty eventually pushed him to prepare for migration abroad.

His turning point came after joining SDC's "RMTP: Eco-Friendly and Safe Vegetable Production and Marketing" sub-project. Enlisted as a safe vegetable farmer in 2022, Sohel received advanced horticulture training, mastering the innovative technique of producing safe vegetable seedlings using soilless cocopeat.

This training opened up a whole new horizon for his life. In 2023, with a 40,000 Taka grant from the project, he started his nursery on just three decimals of land. He began production using 100 seedling trays filled with a special mix of cocopeat, Trichoderma, and vermicompost. Right in the very first season, local farmers achieved excellent results by using his seedlings, and news of Sohel's success spread rapidly.

Gradually, he expanded his nursery, which now spans seven decimals of land. The number of seedling trays has grown to 1,200. Every season, he produces between 90,000 and over 100,000 seedlings. His nursery supplies a wide variety of seedlings—including cauliflower, cabbage, chili, tomato, eggplant, papaya, gourd, sweet pumpkin, and red cabbage—to various districts across the country through both online and offline channels.

In addition to selling seedlings, he is also cultivating safe vegetables on three acres of land. Currently, his annual income from the nursery is around 4 to 4.5 lakh Taka, with an average monthly income of 35,000 to 40,000 Taka.

Photo: A smiling Sohel in his field during the cultivation of various seasonal vegetables

He believes that with rural soil, hard work, and the right guidance, agriculture can become a sustainable livelihood. Today, Sohel wants to support not just himself, but other farmers in his village as well. In the future, he aims to further expand his nursery and create new employment opportunities. His plan is to establish a modern greenhouse alongside his nursery to produce high-quality seedlings year-round.

Sohel Molla is now a self-reliant, successful farmer. He says:

“I used to think that it wasn't possible to achieve anything without moving abroad. But SDC showed me that an immense pool of potential lies right in my own village. Now, I am standing on my own two feet, and my family is doing well.”

In the future, he aims to expand his nursery even further to inspire many others to take up safe vegetable cultivation. In his own words: “I want people to stay healthy by eating safe vegetables, and I want the village folk to fall in love with farming.”

Expressing his gratitude, Sohel credits the support and guidance of the SDC's RMTP project for helping him reach his dreams.