Farming is like cocaine addiction for this Goan farmer

For John Mascarenhas from Anjuna in North Goa, farming is not just about growing food, it’s a full-blown addiction. “It’s like cocaine,” he says, laughing, but with conviction. “Once you put your hands into the soil, it takes you deeper. Every season, every cycle, you want to do better,” he says.

Three years ago, John was heading investment analysis at a power generation firm in Mumbai. But when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, he, like many others, relocated to Goa to work remotely. What was meant to be a temporary shift soon became a turning point in his life.

Farm to table: A day in the fields of Goa's Curtorim village

“Goa has land, but we import almost everything from vegetables to grains to even milk, from neighbouring states. I found that strange,” he recalls. A visit to Mapusa marketmade it even clearer. “Prices were sky-high, and despite being a tourist state, we weren’t self-reliant. I saw a problem and I wanted to try being part of the solution.”

With a small ancestral farm passed down through generations, John decided to take the plunge. What started as a curiosity became a personal mission of growing his own food, test if organic farming could be viable, and explore if a ‘farm to table’ model could support his restaurant in Baga.

FRUITS OF HIS TOIL: John believes local producers have the potential to supply clean, fresh produce directly to hotels and meet the growing demand sustainably.

But romantic ideas met hard truths quickly. “Farming is labour-intensive. In Goa, getting reliable help is tough. So I had to do the work of digging, planting and watering myself. But that’s when something shifted. The contact with soil, with nature, gave me a kind of joy I never experienced in corporate life.”

Still, the challenges kept piling up. Fragmented land, soaring labour costs, stray cattle, and limited scope for community farming meant the odds were stacked high. “You leave the gate openonce and a herd wipes out your week’s efforts,” he says. “But you keep going. Because watching a seed germinate and become food is magical.”

John Mascarenhas Farming is labour-intensive. In Goa, getting reliable help is tough. So I had to do the work of digging, planting and watering myself. But that’s when something shifted. The contact with soil, with nature, gave me a kind of joy I never experienced in corporate life

What kept him anchored were the desire to eat what he grows and a mentor named Gasper Fernandes, an award-winning farmer from the same village. “He never held back knowledge. That kind of generosity is rare,” John reflects.

Inspired by such mentorship and his own learning, John chose the path of organic farming, a less-travelled path. “People often say it’s not profitable. But I wasn’t growing for the market. I wanted clean food for my table, my family, and my guests. And I had a place to use the produce, my own kitchen.”

THE DRIVING FORCE: John's mentor Gasper Fernandes tilling the soil on the farm with the help of a tractor.

This has not only changed the way he farms, but also how he eats. “Earlier, wasting food was casual. At the corporate canteen, food would just go into bins. Now, I know what it takes to groweven one grain of rice. That changes everything.”

At his restaurant, portion sizes are monitored based on what returns from the table. “If rice is being left, it’s not the taste, it’s excess. So we tweak the quantity. We even offer half-portions now,” he says.

Community farming is the way forward for Goa's agriculture

John sees potential in making farming viable for others, too. “Goa can consume what it grows. The restaurants here need steady, quality produce. Why can’t locals supply that?”

But the bigger obstacle, he says, is mindset. “The youth today are chasing safe choices like government jobs or even driving a taxi. Farming is hard, messy, and doesn’t offer quick returns. And maybe it doesn’t suit the susegadimage we’ve grown up with. But it’s deeply satisfying.”

ORGANIC INSIGHT: A morning spent at John's farm can leave you enlightened.

For now, John works on his one-acre plot, refining practices, experimenting, and pulling others into the conversation. “Every Goan should at least try farming once. Not everyone will stay. But if even a few get addicted like I did, that’s a start.”