Mizoram woman farmer earns UN honour after strawberry venture tops Rs 10 lakh

A 35-year-old former teacher from a remote village near the Myanmar border in Mizoram has been recognised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for building a profitable strawberry farming business from a small experiment.

Mari ZT Lalrithangi, from Sangau village in Lawngtlai district, was named among the FAO 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development as part of the International Year of Women Farmers 2026.

She is the first Mizo woman to receive the recognition, having been selected from more than 600 nominees across 131 countries. Two women from India were among those chosen for the honour.

The recognition was presented at the World Food Forum at the FAO headquarters in Rome on October 15.

Speaking to PTI over the phone from Rome on Friday, Lalrithangi said she was delighted to receive the honour and thanked God, her family and the Mizoram Horticulture Department for their support.

Lalrithangi began experimenting with strawberry cultivation in 2024 after learning about successful growers in neighbouring Siaha district. She started with around 1,000 saplings on a farm about 5 km from Sangau and has since expanded her operation to more than 10,000 plants spread across two hectares.

Her first year of cultivation earned her around Rs 1.5 lakh. The income rose to more than Rs 10 lakh in 2025, marking a significant turnaround for the farmer who had once aspired to secure a government job.

Beyond selling fresh strawberries, Lalrithangi has diversified her business by processing some of the produce into strawberry wine and candy, which are mainly sold in local markets.

A postgraduate in Sociology from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), she previously worked as a private-school teacher and appeared for several competitive examinations in pursuit of a government job.

However, repeated unsuccessful attempts prompted her to explore alternative sources of income. She decided that securing a government position should not be her only route to financial stability and turned to farming to become financially independent while putting her education to practical use.

Without formal training in strawberry cultivation, Lalrithangi learnt the techniques through online tutorials and by exchanging knowledge with fellow farmers.

Balancing farming with raising three children, she often studied late into the night to learn about cultivation methods.

She had earlier told PTI that she relied on farming tutorials available on YouTube and studied whenever she could find time, including while breastfeeding her children.

Her husband, a teacher at a state-run primary school in Sangau, and her parents-in-law have supported her agricultural venture. The couple also spend their weekends working on the farm.

The FAO recognition adds to her recent achievements. Lalrithangi was previously adjudged the best farmer from Lawngtlai district at the Mizoram Horti Fair 2026.