Goa Appoints 32-Year-Old Farmer Varad Samant as Agriculture Brand Ambassador

Panaji, Goa | 9 January 2026 The Goa government has appointed 32-year-old farmer Varad Samant as the state’s agriculture brand ambassador in an effort to encourage young people to view farming as a viable, profitable and sustainable career. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said Samant’s journey from a hesitant cultivator to a successful high-volume vegetable producer reflects the true potential of agriculture when supported by innovation, mechanisation and government schemes. Samant, a resident of Dharbandora, did not initially plan a career in farming despite belonging to a farming family. After completing his B.Com in 2012, he explored agriculture seriously only later, travelling to Karnataka and Maharashtra to study modern farming practices. He began vegetable cultivation on a small scale, starting with bhindi, and gradually expanded to crops such as cabbage, carrots, cucumbers and watermelon after seeing encouraging results in Goa’s conditions. Today, Samant cultivates vegetables on nearly 10 acres using efficient and mechanised methods. He supplies large quantities of produce to the state horticulture department, including 70–80 tonnes of cabbage annually, along with carrots, bhindi and other vegetables. According to the government, his annual earnings range between ₹50 lakh and ₹60 lakh, with a healthy profit margin, while also generating employment for over 20 workers. Speaking on his appointment, Samant said he never imagined becoming a brand ambassador for agriculture. He credited government support, especially assured pricing through the horticulture department, for his success and said the role would allow him to motivate youth through demonstrations and awareness programmes across Goa. Officials said his appointment aligns with the government’s vision of making Goa self-sufficient in vegetable production and positioning farming as a modern and aspirational livelihood for the next generation. Goa Appoints Young Farmer Varad Samant as Agriculture Brand Ambassador Panaji: The Goa government has appointed 32-year-old farmer Varad Samant as the state’s agriculture brand ambassador with the aim of encouraging young people to take up farming. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said Samant’s journey highlights how agriculture can become a profitable and sustainable profession with the right mix of innovation, mechanisation and government support. A resident of Dharbandora, Samant did not initially plan a career in agriculture despite coming from a farming family. After completing his B.Com, he explored modern farming practices in Karnataka and Maharashtra and later began vegetable cultivation in Goa on a small scale. His early success motivated him to expand production and diversify into multiple crops. At present, Samant cultivates vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, bhindi and watermelon on nearly 10 acres of land. He supplies large quantities of fresh produce to the state horticulture department and earns a substantial annual income, while also generating employment for local workers. His farming model has shown that agriculture in Goa can be both commercially viable and environmentally sustainable. Speaking on his appointment, Samant said he never imagined being given such a responsibility. He credited government schemes and assured pricing mechanisms for his success and said he would work to spread awareness about modern farming techniques across the state, inspiring more youth to adopt agriculture and strengthen Goa’s food security.