India, Aug. 12 -- Muralidhar Naik, a farmer in Bargaon village of Odisha's Sinapali block, has invested heavily in commercial vegetable cultivation over the past two years.

A bumper watermelon crop that could have earned his family nearly Rs 15 lakh was damaged by a hailstorm, turning expected income into loss.

This year, heavy rain and poor drainage have led to wilting disease in his tomato crop, despite investment in drip irrigation, solar power and plastic mulch.

His experience shows how small farmers face rising risks from weather, disease and costly inputs, and why crop rotation may be as important as modern farming tools.

For Muralidhar Naik, farming is no longer just about growing a crop. It is a calculated gamble with weather,...