Our Story

The first steps

The Biodynamic Movement started in India in the early 1990’s. T.G.K. Menon, Director of the Kasturbagram Krishi Kshethra (an organic farm and ashram named after Mahatma Gandhi’s wife) invited Peter Proctor, a consultant of the New Zealand Biodynamic Association, in 1993, to visit Indore and conduct a workshop on the bio-dynamic method.

A chain reaction took place as Peter and his partner, Rachael Pomeroy travelled throughout India conducting workshops in Biodynamics. The first base for training was at Kodaikanal, facilitated by the Palni Hills Conservation Council. Thereafter many training bases were created leading to the Bhaikaka Krishi Kendra, Anand and Basil Farm School (Bhaktivedanta Academy for Sustainable Integrated Living) at Mysore where Peter and Rachael taught for many years. In North – SARG, Nainital and Dehradun and East – Naandi Foundation, Visakhapatnam have also been training bases in recent years.

Amongst the first initiatives were – the Kurinji farms near Kodaikanal, the Maikaal cotton project in Madhya Pradesh and the tea projects in Darjeeling (Ambootia, Selimbong, Makaibari) and South India (Singampatti – Oothu).

1999

BDAI constituted as an association under the Karnataka Societeies Registration Act. (1960)

Member, Farms and plantations, preparing for Demeter Certification for exports and BD Prep makers, trainers and certification agencies. Planting calendar, Annual training programs and Demeter certification intermediary were organized

1999

2016

BDAI undertakes an organisation development exercise to become a professional pan-India farmer association

Focus on Indian farmers and consumers
The shift from members to stakeholders
New Managing Committee takes up an active stance in setting and meeting targets

2016

2017

Development planning exercise in partnership with Andreas Hermes Akademie(AHA) – Ministry of Economic Development, Germany for 2016-17

The theme is growth and renewal
Diverse task teams to create S.M.A.R.T. goals
Mission and Development Plan

2017

2018

Goals

Grow membership
Increase training and advisory services
Easier access to BD preps and farm Inputs
Develop domestic and international consumer market for BD India produce

2018

2020

Farmer entrepreneurship development program (b/u/s)

An inhouse trainer development program in supporting
farmer entrepreneurship development in association with AHA International

2020

Biodynamic India

Biodynamic Farms and Plantations

Today there are more than 500 small and large farms practicing the bio-dynamic method on all or some part of their land. Many tea, coffee and spices plantations use BD practices and enjoy an internal clientele for their produce marketed at a premium. There is a flourishing export trade for BD certified produce under the Demeter certification.

Biodynamic Prep Making

BD preps are prepared in both north and south India. These are available at reasonable prices to farmers and are approved by the BDAI as per the internal quality checks carried out periodically.

Seeds and Farm Inputs

Open pollinated varieties are made available for BD farmers through seed savers and seed nurseries facilitated by the Association.

Training Centres

Biodynamic training workshops are organized periodically throughout the country either as short, long, or refresher workshops.

North: SARG, Nainital and Dehradun
West: Bhaikaka Krishi Kendra, Anand
South: ICHOR, Kodaikanal, ISS, Tamil Nadu
East: Naandi Foundation, Visakhapatnam

Information Dissemination

Biodyne Newsletter: published quarterly
Biodynamic Planting Calendar
Training Manual

Farmer Outreach

Uttranchal and Maharashtra: Supa Biotech
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab: Naandi Foundation
Gujarat: Bhaikaka Krishi Kendra

Research and Innovation

Chromatography Testing, MCRC, Chennai
Soil Testing Lab developed by MCRC, Chennai
Field Trials documented at Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow
Large Scale Compost Making

International Partners

Demeter International: Full Membership soon with the setting up of an independent Demeter Certification Office.
Andreas Hermes Institute, The training arm of the Deutscher Bauernverband (German Farmers Association) with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ): facilitating our organization development exercise envisioning a new vision, mission, and S.M.A.R.T. Goals for a pan-India professionally managed farmer-led organization.

Secretariat

Central office in Bangalore with Secretary BDAI as executive officer
Coordination of domestic and international activities, events, and conferences
Back Office support for Biodyne Newsletter, Publishing, and Training Workshops
Membership Office