NEW DELHI: With India facing a potentially weak monsoon year that could impact farming operations and water availability, the Isha Foundation, a non-profit spiritual organization, on Friday advocated for a farmer-driven ecological movement centered on tree-based agriculture. This approach, the foundation stated, could enhance farm income, conserve water, revitalize rivers, and improve soil health over the long term.
Policy Interventions Sought
The foundation also called for government policy interventions to replicate the movement, which has shown promising results in Tamil Nadu, across India. The goal is to make the country drought-proof, climate-resilient, and promote sustainability while protecting the environment.
Save Soil - Cauvery Calling Initiative
Ahead of World Environment Day (June 5), the foundation shared updates on its flagship 'Save Soil - Cauvery Calling' movement, envisioned by Sadhguru. So far, the initiative has facilitated the planting of 13.4 crore trees and supported 2.6 lakh farmers in adopting tree-based agriculture.
"When policy and farmers align, India can revive its soil, replenish its water resources, and secure rural livelihoods in one bold move," said Anand Ethirajalu, project director of Save Soil - Cauvery Calling.
Farmer Success Story
Valluvan, a UN-awarded farmer associated with the movement, explained how farmers can adopt natural farming without reducing output. He highlighted practices such as minimal tillage, mulching, and cover cropping to reduce dependence on fertilizers and pesticides. "I transformed my coconut monoculture farm into a diverse, multi-layered food forest with timber, pepper, and fruit crops. These methods reduced dependence on fertilizers and pesticides while making the farm more resilient to droughts and floods... My farm income has multiplied six times over the years," he added.
