Learn solutions to the most pertinent problems in agriculture.
Prakriti Vidya Peeth Programs
Welcoming you, the farmer of India.
Prakriti Vidya Peeth offers programs in seed preservation, soil health, water resilient farming, solar dehydration, crop planning and permaculture.
Naganadi River Rejuvenation-Women Led Initiative
Naganadi River Rejuvenation-Women Led Initiative
Hear powerful and inspiring experiences from women who have come together to bring transformation in their village
Hear from women who have come together to bring transformation in their village. From building water conservation structures to reduce household and drinking water shortage to forming self help groups which encourage women in farming by buying machines, adopt innovative ideas or support them in case of emergencies.
Power of community
Power of community
Get inspired by success stories when farmers came together as a group to raise their income and support individual farmers in need
What cannot be achieved on your own can be achieved as a group. Get inspired by success stories when farmers came together as a group to raise their income and support individual farmers in need. From organic farmers market, group trainings, village watershed committees, group Shramdaan and creating model villages - the power of farmer communities is enormous!
Farmer Field Schools
Farmer Field Schools
Farmer Field Schools provide training to farmers in organic farming methods resulting in higher income
Farmer Field Schools provide training to farmers in various farming methods. This includes both theoretical training and field training. Farmers move to organic farming, learn to make organic fertilizers and pesticides at home using perished fruit. This leads to reduced cost and higher yield resulting in higher annual income.
Climate Proofing
Climate Proofing
Hear inspiring stories from women who have come together to bring transformation in their village
Case studies where a holistic intervention led to the village as a whole being safer against climate risks. There are various techniques available. A combination of building water conservation structures and adoption of lower cost farming are considered the most effective methods. This includes building check dams, trenches, farm ponds and farm bunds. Chemical free farming, organic farming models and methods for decreased cost of cultivation were introduced.
Farmer Producer Organisation
Farmer Producer Organisation
FPOs solve problems between farmers and markets by fetching discounted input costs and higher selling prices
Farmer Producer Organisations solve problems between farmers and markets. The coming together of farmers results in scaling up. This leads to discounted input costs like fertilisers, hiring tractors etc. This also results in higher selling prices of crops. Farmers also avoid weighing frauds and other uncertainties of dealing with a middleman.
Orchard Farming
Orchard Farming
Learn about best practices in Orchard Farming where multiple fruit trees are grown resulting in better yield
Learn about best practices in Orchard Farming where multiple fruit trees are grown in a farm. This results in better yield as compared to mono-cropping. Along with relevant water conservation practices, providing wind protection for saplings and the right soil/sand composition, yields can be improved further.
Water Budgeting
Water Budgeting
Learn about Water Budgeting, where proper water management helps utilise the available water in an efficient way
Despite creating water conservation structures and adopting irrigation practices that save water, a village can still face water shortages. Learn about Water Budgeting where proper water management helps the village utilise the extra water they are getting in an efficient way. This includes calculating annual water availability and annual water requirement for the village. The monthly variations in water availability are tracked and awareness is spread about this information in the village so that people utilise water in a prudent manner.
Permaculture
Permaculture
A method of farming that is not against the nature, but an easy way to work with nature instead of hard and thoughtless labor
What once were common practices in Indian agriculture like seed preservation, natural fertilizers, diversified cropping are quickly fading due to mechanization, monocropping and corporate seed control. Besides, farmers face heavy debts and difficulties due to changing climate & poor agriculture yield. Modern farming due to excessive chemicals usage is also causing huge damage to soil, air and water. Permaculture is the answer to these problems as it relies on natural methods for its nutrient, irrigation and pest control needs and also for energy conservation
Desi Seed Preservation
Desi Seed Preservation
Methods to conserve seeds at one’s home
The various revolutions in agriculture have resulted in transition to harmful practices & dependency on hybrid seeds. This modern seed system has trapped the Indian farmer in the cycle of purchasing new seeds every season. Majority of the farmers have lost the knowledge of selecting and storing the seeds.
Science of Soil
Science of Soil
Save soil from harmful effects of chemicals, adopt natural farming, increase production - know zero budget tips
Soil is the foundation of agriculture. The relationship with the soil has affected the ability to cultivate crops. The use of harmful chemicals in agriculture in the past few decades has led to the degradation of the soil and inadvertently the human health, with deadly diseases on rise such as cancer and heart failures. It is now the turn to go take care of the health of our mother for long term sustenance of the human civilization
Solution to Water problems
Solution to Water problems
How to reduce agriculture's dependence on rain through various water conservation methods
Rainwater harvesting has always been an integral part of India’s rich culture and tradition for sustainable and communal management of water. Development of ingenious techniques required a deep and profound knowledge of rainfall patterns, soil type, and hydrogeology of the region, which we can still see in the villages. This knowledge and learning have diluted with time and now when India is facing its worst-ever water crisis, it's the need of the hour to bring them back into the limelight.
Vegetable Solar Dehydration
Vegetable Solar Dehydration
Do not sell fruits and vegetables directly, rather add value and earn profits
Around 16% of the total perishable production is wasted each year in India. The small and marginal farmers are the one who bear the brunt of the glut in the market because of the inadequate cold chain, lack of proper storage and transport facilities. In this scenario proper processing of the fruits and vegetables can help to increase the price of the product and also reduce the wastage.
Planning Crops according to value
Planning Crops according to value
Growing crops according to their demand in market may yield better income
Onion crops harvested in the months Mar-May have prices much lower compared to onions harvested in the month Oct-Dec. This huge price difference can be attributed to an increase in supply during March-May. Farmers can tap this difference to earn profit for the similar amount of work & resources.
Come and help rural India to become a self-reliant and self-developed using digital e-school platform’s programs
This is an initiative of International Association for Human Values, partner organisation of Art of Living. We are grateful to our partners OVBI (Overseas Volunteer for Better India) and WHH (Welt Hunger Hilfe) for supporting this initiative.
For any queries, please contact support.dvs@in.iahv.org