Biodynamic Outreach

Outreach and Farmer extension is a core objective of the Association. Our Association was formed to spread awareness and for the adoption of the practice of biodynamics among progressive farmers. Our extension and outreach are carried out in partnership with our Institutional Members who drive the outreach programs. 

Farmer Extension Services

Youth in the Farmer Sector

School of Biodynamic Farming - Inba Seva Sangam, Vinobajipuram, Karur, Tamil Nadu

Taking hold of and developing the farm as a living whole is one of the most important principles of the biodynamic Impulse. The ‘farm organism’ is a self-contained system with all its sub-systems serving the whole. A place that has been developed in the sense of a whole entity and has been cared for over the years – farm, garden, park or valley – develops within itself all the elements, which nature has produced so comprehensively. From this relationship between the micro and the universal, the individuality of the farm is established.

The global challenges of healing the damages done to Mother Earth are very serious and need a lot of young trained youngsters to participate in the Land Healing work. The India BD farming school initiative is one such step in this direction.

Working with Marginalised Farmers

Institute for Integrated Rural Development - Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and West Bengal.

Biodynamic training workshops are implemented on a district, state, national and international level. 229 farmer groups have been provided training through the Participatory Guarantee System which leads to organic certification of their produce. An organic bazaar is organized every Friday in Aurangabad to raise consumer awareness, provide a market for organic produce and encourage farmer-consumer interaction. 1200 environmentally conscious consumers participate in this bazaar.

District Organic Promotion Centres (DOPC)

IIRD has jointly established DOPCs in 4 districts of Marathwada – Jalna, Parbhani, Beed, and Hingoli. The role of District Organic Promotion Centres is to play a coordination role of the several organizations of the district involved in organic agriculture from both Government and Non-government sectors. The DOPC’s aim is to promote organic farming in their respective districts through training, identifying and mobilising the farmers, promoting alternative marketing, and facilitating local guarantee and certification of organic products.

Ecology and Sustainable Farming

Conservation Ecology

The Earth Trust Southwick, Coonoor Rd., Nilgiris 643 001, South India

A Vision to creating viability & well-being in rural communities and landscape of the Nilgiri biosphere.

That there will be clear water flowing from the streams of Nilgiris without poison.. that everyone will have their place; animals will have their place, and people will have their place. I smile and tell her it sounds good. She says, It is possible, you see, it’s possible.

An Integrated Programme is being carried out in Chengal Pudur, a Kurumba Tribal village at Droog in the Nilgiris.

  • Special Project to propagate plants in the endangered lists of trees, plants to ensure that the biodiversity of the Nilgiris stays intact and healthy.

Our Plan of Action

  • Farming – Health of the soil – Our core strength and focus
  • Health of the people – Our innovative created for the village women and through them their families and communities
  • Health of the environment – Safeguarding the environment by sensitizing the future citizens of India, the school children of today, through Our Eco-clubs. These are being run in the middle-level, both Government and private schools
  • Income Generation Programme for village women – working towards their empowerment

Large Scale Farmer Services

Mass Movement of Farmer Training

SARG VIKAS SAMITI - Uttarakhand, Maharashtra

SARG Vikas Samiti (SUPA Agricultural Research Group) has promoted Biodynamic system of Agriculture through mass movement of farmer training in compost making and BD prep use. In co-operation with the Agriculture department, farmers have accepted this simple and easy technology, which is cost effective to address the problem of plant nutrition and soil health. More than 5,00,000 biodynamic composts units till date

SARG and Biodynamic system of Agriculture is also an important factor of the “Dhule Pattern” of organic agriculture system. The Movement of Biodynamic composting started in Dhule and now it is spread in the whole state. Biodynamic composting is the major component of state guidelines of the Department of Agriculture for the Vidarbha package and work plan. Biodynamic composting is also considered in the Jal Swaraj movement for the purpose of hygiene of the village and quality compost for the farmers.

Spotlight and Case study

Araku Coffee debuts retail in Paris – The gastronomic capital of the world!

This story dates back to the early 2000s when the Adivasis in Araku lived on the fringes of progress that modern India had guaranteed its citizens. They had no access to education or healthcare. With little or no farming skills they lived on what the forests gifted them! It was at this juncture that Naandi Foundation stepped in. An ‘inclusive household approach’ to development was followed in every sphere of Naandi’s activities. Apart from working with children (education & nutrition) and women (childbirth & infant mortality), Naandi started an agricultural project using natural resource management techniques to convert semi-wastelands into organic coffee plantations.

A new coffee culture – the Araku culture was brewing!

  • The Small & Marginal Tribal Farmers Mutually Aided Co-operative Society Limited in 2007.
  • Healthy coffee bean production and picking as directed by coffee experts from Ireland, Japan, Korea and India.
  • Central Processing Unit which was set up to standardize the quality of the coffee being produced.
  • Transformation of the low-carbon landscape into a high-carbon bio-diverse landscape, improving food security & generating sustainable income for the community by planting 9 million fruit trees & coffee saplings.
  • Eco-sustainability and biodynamic agricultural practices to improve the quality of the coffee.

In 2008, a social enterprise named Araku Originals Limited was set up to market the world’s most uniquely grown & flavoured Arabica.

Niche coffee roasters from Japan, South Korea, Ireland, Switzerland, and France bought Araku coffee at the highest prices.

Araku’s flagship store in Paris was inaugurated on the 23rd of February 2017.

Araku coffee is also being sold at La Grande Epicerie de Paris (owned by LVMH group), Publicis Drugstore and a few other high-end French concept stores.

It is available all over Europe through Araku’s e-store.