What do a Wipro engineer, a Bengaluru software architect, and a Chinese product manager have in common? They all left tech to grow food — and they’re thriving. In this rich, research-backed episode, Phoenix and Bella explore the global rise of techies becoming farmers, with firsthand stories, transition strategies, and advice for making your own leap to the land.

Featured farmers & stories include:

• Shashi Kumar (India) – ex-Wipro, founder of Akshayakalpa Organic Dairy (₹300 crore brand)

• Roja Reddy (India) – former IT pro who built a 50-acre organic network earning ₹1 crore/year

• Nanda Kishore Reddy (Hyderabad) – IT engineer turned greenhouse farmer

• Tang Xinchen (China) – ex-PM turned fruit orchard innovator using AI and drone tech

• A. Srinath (Malaysia) – ex-software engineer now earning RM 40–50k/season from chillies

• Someshwar Singh (India) – part-time IT, part-time papaya farmer earning ₹15L/year

• Manohar Sambandam (Tamil Nadu) – built a cotton-picking robot to solve labor shortages

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How techies started farming while keeping their jobs

• How much they invested, earned, and failed along the way

• The tools they carried from tech: spreadsheets, sensors, digital marketing

• How to design a transition strategy with low risk and high learning

• Why organic, regenerative systems offer long-term mental and financial health

Sources & research referenced:

• Case studies from The Better India, NST Malaysia, China Daily, and AgriTech Market Reports

• Insights from USDA, FAO, and global smart-agriculture data

• Ground-level observations from farms across India, Kenya, and Southeast Asia

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Takeaway:

The digital-to-dirt transition is real — and you don’t have to leap blindly. Let this episode be your blueprint to start small, plan well, and grow something meaningful.