Even in a world that is filled with digital creation for lifestyle, tech, or entertainment, Umma Kulsum Popi stands as a letter of inspiration in a very unique field agriculturally. A first female agri-influencer of Bangladesh, she has carved much new dimensions of how the technique of sharing and appreciating farming and agricultural knowledge in the digital age is being used.
Grown in a very small village of Lalmonirhat district, deeply rooted with the love of nature and farming, which has made the woman-the successful entrepreneur, passionate agricultural content creator, and advocate of sustainable farming practices that she is today. With an impressive following of more than 2.4 million Facebook users and 463K YouTube subscribers, her influence goes beyond a poor upbringing, beyond rural lives, beyond the reach of people from all walks of lives who share an intrinsic relationship with nature.
The transition from a “graamer meye”, something she proudly identifies herself as, to a celebrated figure in agritech and digital entrepreneurship serves as proof of what hard work and passion could do. She’s an inspiration, and through her contents, businesses, and income, she’s also contributing to the agricultural sector of Bangladesh.
The Making of an Agri-Influencer
Popi spent a lot of time during her childhood in the vast rice fields and thick nettle overrun areas, rivers, and garden spaces of rural Bangladesh. The wonderful things that personal memory comes with the scent of dying jute and the narrow aisles in between rice fields, which have become her reality. Unlike many others who turn their backs on their rural roots, she is proud of having the land and made it her core profession.
Her love for agriculture brought forth the initiative of making short but sweet videos about different fruits, flowers, and even farming techniques. It began as an experiment but turned into a movement when amputated thousands of people, whether farmers or town dwellers, followed her work.
The first video is made in Teesta’s charland. It deals with pumpkin harvesting. The overwhelming appreciation she received from this alone kept her at it. The content became wider with the passage of time, providing material on organic farming techniques, fruit cultivation, pest control methods, and various medicinal properties of plants.
Inspiration came from legendary agriculturist Shykh Seraj, whose documentaries she watched while growing up, and from modern agritech experts like Talha Zubair Masror and Azharul Islam. They dedicated their future efforts to using sustainable farming and roused her desire to teach farmers through digital media.
Making Agriculture Accessible to All
What makes Popi unique, however, is her skill in engaging, familiarizing, and making accessible agricultural knowledge. Most of her videos simplify even technical farming concepts into straightforward, easy to understand Bangla.
Her YouTube channel was structured in playlist form so that users could retrieve the information they required under these headings:
Different kinds of fruits and vegetables
Spices and medicinal herbs
Organic pest control solutions
Home gardening hacks
A video of her, which explains making an organic pesticide by using neem leaves, was so amazing that it went viral. Many viewers confirmed their success from the method taught in this video.
“Human beings naturally form deep connections with nature; it’s simply how we’re wired. This universal bond is why my videos resonate with such a diverse audience, cutting across all professions and social backgrounds,” she explained.
Rural farm communities are not the only ones making up her audience. Urban dwellers, professionals, and teenagers are also visible on her platforms engaging themselves about agriculture learning with curiosity.
“If you ask people about their retirement plans, most will tell you they dream of living close to nature, dedicating more time to gardening or farming. Agriculture, being inextricably linked to nature, isn’t just for farmers, it’s a passion that anyone can embrace,” she added.
Bridging the Gap Between Farmers and Consumers
Popi plays the role of an innovative entrepreneur besides creating contents. In 2016, she co-founded BD Assistant Ltd., which was primarily an online platform to offer critical home services in Rajshahi. It includes:
Home appliance repair
House renting
House shifting
Gas, milk, and grocery delivery
However, her most consequential venture in business is Premium Fruits, which she started with her husband’s co-founding, Abu Sayed Al Sagor, in 2020. The start-up directly connects the farmers with the consumers and delivers fresh, quality ensuring chemical-free fruits all over Bangladesh.
The business is simple yet very effective:
Fruits are sourced like mangoes from Rajshahi and Naogaon, wild bananas from Bandarban, and pomelos from Rangamati; and all other quality fruits have their specific districts.
Garden leases are secured one year ahead through purchase agreements with farmers.
No chemicals or pesticides are used for 15 days before harvesting.
Through Premium Fruits, Popi ensures that farmers get fair prices, while consumers take authentic, fresh produce. Thus, Popi eliminates the middlemen and gives power to local farmers while promoting ethical business practices.
Breaking Barriers in Agriculture
Popi has emerged as a striking model through which women can imagine themselves in agriculture and entrepreneurship in the male-dominated domain she operates within. She exemplifies that women thrive in farming, business, and digital content creation all at once.
She journeys through and breaks the stereotype that agriculture is purely for men. Instead, she would encourage young girls and women to:
• Explore careers in agribusiness
• Utilize digital platforms to share knowledge
• Take leadership roles in agricultural development
More women, in her opinion, should step into agripreneurship to realize the true potential of the country, Bangladesh.
The entrepreneur-she is a huge supporter of entrepreneurial training and educations. She trained from institutions including Yher Accelerator by YGAP and Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN), stressing the need for skill-building programs for women.
A Visionary’s Perspective
Popi sees a future where agriculture in Bangladesh is more tech-based, sustainable, and profit-oriented. Nevertheless, she points out some hurdles:
• Lack of interest among youngsters
• Chemical overuse in farming
• Inadequate knowledge-sharing among farmers
She strongly believes digital education, agritech investments, and youth engagement could be the solution to these problems.
“Our agriculture industry is full of potential. But, our passion for this sector is worryingly low. We need more people to step up and get involved, bringing fresh energy and ideas to unlock the full possibilities,” she said.
Her ultimate dream is to further educate, innovate, and promote sustainable agriculture through her work, business, and public appearances.
Conclusion
Umma Kulsum Popi is not merely an influencer or entrepreneur; she is a phenomenon. Through her videos, she has brought agriculture into the digital mainstream, rendering it accessible to millions in farming knowledge. Through her business, she has created ethical, farmer-friendly trade models.
Her journey forwards the fearlessness of women, farmers, and young entrepreneurs to action, inspiring individuals to pursue their passions and push against the grain for change in Bangladesh’s agricultural sector.
One man’s love for nature can make waves across an entire country, and her story affirms this.
Here is All social media of Umma Kulsum Popi
Facebook: 3.5M followers
YouTube: 567K subscribers
