By Blake Jackson
What started as a way for Lexington-area farmers from Africa to grow food for their families has evolved into a pathway to financial independence and a model of community leadership recognized by the City of Lexington.
Dr. Siddhartha Dasgupta, agricultural economist, professor, and associate research director in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources at Kentucky State University, has been honored with the Spirit of Lexington Award.
This civic recognition, presented by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, celebrates individuals and groups who provide outstanding service to the community. Dr. Dasgupta’s assistant, James Howard, also received the award during the African Harvest Celebration at Calvary Baptist Church on Oct. 11, 2025.
Dasgupta was recognized for helping beginning farmers transition from subsistence farming to sustainable, income-generating agriculture. Through Kentucky State’s Farming for Cash program, Dasgupta and Howard collaborated with Empucate International, which supports African farmers resettling in central Kentucky. Many participants had previously used borrowed land primarily to grow food for their households.
“In our trainings, we focus on modern, commercial-scale vegetable production systems and practical market pathways,” Dasgupta said. “We’ve shown growers that, with the right plans, they can earn tens of thousands of dollars annually through production and sales. We are now in the process of helping them form a local food co-op to aggregate their produce, sell via social media, and secure pre-payments through platforms like PayPal steps that build self-sufficiency and stable income.”
Since 2012, Kentucky State’s Farming for Cash program has been supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most recently, Dasgupta led a “tractor school” to teach beginning farmers safe equipment operation and production scaling.
The current project, Farming for Cash: A Training Program Leading to Farm Ownership, is funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (Grant No. 2024-49400-43605), with Dasgupta serving as project director.
The Spirit of Lexington Award highlights the city’s dedication to community vitality, inclusivity, and equitable opportunity principles reflected in Kentucky State’s mission to foster innovation that feeds, heals, and sustains.
Through extension educators and researchers, the university equips producers with training, market tools, and business support to strengthen family farms and the regional food economy.
Photo Credit: kentucky-state-university
Categories: Kentucky, Business, Education