Wealth Creation by Natural Farming

Natural farming brings sustainability to agriculture-based livelihood and reduces the costs of cultivation, thereby increasing the net incomes of the small and marginal farmers. The campaign’s objective is to educate and empower farmers for crop productivity with cost-effective natural inputs.

SUMMARY

Bhavyata Foundation, under its initiative, Sowing the Seeds is promoting the ‘Samriddhi’ campaign to educate and empower farmers for crop productivity with cost-effective natural inputs. Experts say, natural farming brings sustainability to agriculture-based livelihood and reduces the costs of cultivation, thereby increasing the net incomes of the small and marginal farmers.

In collaboration with Bansi Gir Gaushala, National Kamdhenu Award Winner, 2017, the Foundation is dedicated to enhancing livelihoods and sustainable support to marginal farmers with smaller landholdings to make their returns viable. Also, a concerted effort to improve soil fertility and to improve groundwater capacities through tested techniques of natural farming is introduced by way of free training and professional consultation.

BENEFICIARIES

Currently, small and neglected farmers representing 85 per cent of farming households in India face rising input costs, debt stagnation, climate change impacts and low returns. Our beneficiaries include farmers from the tribal district of Palghar, Thane, Gadchiroll, Raigad and many districts in Odisha. These are dependent upon high input fertilizers and pesticides for crop productivity and successful harvest. We support them with free inputs of fertilizers, which are bacterial fertilizers, chemical-free, perpetually made available and locally developed. Popularly known as “Gau Krupa”, the bacterial culture is developed by Bansi Gir Gaushala from panchgavya products and completely natural & Ayurvedic herbs. It is a result of our extensive research and experimentation. This culture has over 40 different strains of friendly bacteria which boost plant growth and immunity.

Enriching Indigenous Dairy Breeds

Livestock plays a vital role in the Indian economy. About 20.5 million people depend upon livestock for their livelihood. Livestock contributed 16% to the income of small farm households as against an average of 14% for all rural households. Today, no one knows the names of India’s fast-vanishing indigenous cattle breeds anymore and hardly anyone cares. Traditional cowshed management practices are dead and forgotten. 

Bhavyata Foundation has initiated a rural project for creating a sustainable environment for the preservation of the Dangi breeds in the neighbouring villages of Murbad Taluka of Thane district, along with the rural architecture of water, fodder availability and storage facilities for a perishable commodity like milk. Total Dangi cattle population in this belt numbers up to 3500, which are already sheltered amongst individual residents of villages in their own homes as one of their family members.

Bhavyata Foundation supports the farmers and locals by support for market linkages while strengthening rural infrastructure and conserving natural resources to generate sustained livelihoods by agriculture and dairy farming.