Umma Kulsum Popi has built a surprising career in Bangladesh by mixing farming advice, social media, and a clear message about safe food. She is an agri-entrepreneur who makes short videos to teach farmers and consumers how to grow crops and fruit with fewer harmful chemicals and less pesticide use. One of her main examples is mango bagging, where fruit is covered with bags so it can grow safely without heavy spraying. Her message is simple: better farming can protect health, support the environment, and still make money for farmers. She began making videos in 2022 after hearing farmers talk about their problems in the field, and she used those early lessons to shape content that real growers would understand and trust. At first, she had little more than a phone and her own effort, but she kept filming farm visits, farmer talks, and easy tips that people could use right away. The work was not easy. As a woman entering a public online career, she faced pushback and social pressure, since cultural norms can make it harder for women to build influence in this space. Still, her audience grew as more people found her content useful and honest. Today, she has more than 4.5 million followers across Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, and she now posts several short videos each week with help from a team. Her success is not only about views. Popi also says she is not mainly promoting outside brands. Instead, she is promoting her own farming business and building a network of farmers who sell produce to her company at fair prices. That model helps link safe farming advice with real market support, which gives growers a reason to try better methods. Her goal is to make safe farming practical and profitable, not just ideal in theory. She also wants to open a training center so farmers can learn in person as well as online. Popi’s story shows how digital tools can bring new energy to agriculture and make farming feel modern, useful, and open to young people. It also shows that one person with a phone, a clear idea, and steady purpose can help change how people think about farming, food safety, and rural business in Bangladesh.
