Project Impact

Sadhana Forest’s work in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, focuses on addressing aridification and food insecurity through the creation of food forests and water conservation techniques. Over 10,000 indigenous, drought-resistant, food-bearing trees have been planted across multiple villages. These trees, including oxalogenic species like Moringa oleifera, were chosen for their ability to thrive in the local climate and contribute to long-term food security by providing nutrient-dense produce like fruits and nuts.

Water Conservation: The project emphasizes water conservation efforts such as building on-contour swales, bunds, crescent moon trenches, checking dams to ensure minimal water runoff, conserving soil moisture, and helping replenish groundwater. These efforts are crucial in improving the survival rates of the newly planted trees and ensuring the sustainability of the food forests.

Community Engagement and Capacity Building: Community involvement has been a cornerstone of this initiative. Over 10,000 individuals have participated in training programs on agroforestry, water conservation, and sustainable land management. Local villagers, including Dalit communities, have been actively engaged in the planting and long-term care of the trees, empowering them to restore their environment and improve their quality of life. The initiative also helps prevent out-migration by creating sustainable livelihoods and restoring degraded lands.

Long-Term Sustainability: The project aims to ensure that these trees, once fully matured, will provide a diverse and nutritious food source for around 2,500 individuals, contributing significantly to reducing malnutrition and improving the overall well-being of the community. The leadership and participation of local figures, such as Lakshmi Akka, have been crucial in driving this initiative forward, fostering community ownership and social cohesion.

Project location

Sadhana Forest Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, India

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Project Details

What are food forests?

The idea of forest gardens (food forests) was first articulated by Robert Hart in his book ‘Forest Gardening’ and subsequently became one of the keystone concepts in Permaculture. A Permaculture forest garden mimics the architecture and beneficial relationships of a natural forest. Food forests are not ‘natural’, but are designed and managed ecosystems that are very rich in biodiversity and productivity, and are based on a philosophy of co-operation with nature.

A food forest is typically composed of seven layers: the uppermost layer is the canopy layer that is composed of tall trees, mostly large fruit and nut trees. Between the tall canopy layer trees there is a layer of low growing fruit trees, and nestled between all these small trees are the shrubs which are well represented by currants and berries. Filling the remaining space is the herbaceous layer: these are the culinary and medicinal herbs, companion plants, bee-forage plants, and poultry forage plants. Any remaining space is occupied by ground cover plants, which form a living mulch that protects the soil, reduces water loss to evaporation, and prevents weeds from growing. While that might seem like a lot of plants in one space, there is still one more to fill: the upright vertical space. This is filled by climbers and vines, which can be run up fences, trees, or any other vertical support. This category includes grapes, climbing beans, many berries, passion fruit, kiwi fruit, climbing peas, and many other species that love to climb.

Food forests provide many benefits like high productivity per acre; natural mulch, compost, & fertilizer; natural pest control by using natural predators, and a resilience that can only come through biodiversity.

Learn more about Food forests and permaculture here

What is the current state of forests in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, and how does it contribute to food insecurity and out-migration in the region?

The current state of forests in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, is characterized by environmental degradation and deforestation, contributing to severe food insecurity and increasing out-migration. The district, with its semi-arid climate, suffers from water scarcity and land degradation, which have worsened due to deforestation. This degradation has reduced the ability of the land to support agriculture, directly impacting local food production and leading to malnutrition and poverty.

These issues have driven many families, particularly those dependent on agriculture, to leave the region in search of better livelihoods. The lack of productive land and sustainable income sources has led to significant out-migration to urban areas. Many rural families have abandoned their lands, as droughts and poor soil quality have made it impossible to grow enough food.​

How is Sadhana Forest addressing these issues through its reforestation efforts?

Sadhana Forest is addressing the issues of deforestation, food insecurity, and out-migration in Virudhunagar through its comprehensive reforestation efforts, which focus on restoring degraded lands and improving the livelihoods of local communities. Here’s how:

  1. Reforestation with Indigenous Trees: Sadhana Forest plants drought-resistant, food-bearing trees, such as Moringa and other indigenous species, that can thrive in the local climate. These trees help restore soil health, improve biodiversity, and provide nutritious food to local communities, addressing both environmental degradation and food insecurity.
  2. Water Conservation: The organization implements water conservation techniques such as on-contour swales, bunds, and gabions to conserve soil moisture, enhance water retention, prevent soil erosion, and support the survival of newly planted trees. This improves the land’s capacity to sustain agriculture and helps replenish local water tables, mitigating the impact of droughts.
  3. Nutrition and Food Security: By planting food-producing trees, Sadhana Forest helps local communities combat malnutrition and become more self-sufficient, reducing their reliance on external food sources and improving their food security. 
  4. Livelihoods and Preventing Out-Migration: Sadhana Forest’s reforestation efforts provide sustainable livelihoods for local communities, reducing the need for families to leave the region in search of better opportunities. By improving the agricultural productivity of the land and creating local sources of food and income, the project helps prevent out-migration driven by economic hardship.

Through these efforts, Sadhana Forest is restoring the natural ecosystem of Virudhunagar while simultaneously enhancing the livelihoods of the local population, making the region more resilient to climate change and food insecurity.

UN Sustainable Development Goals contributed to

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 interconnected global objectives aimed at addressing pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges by 2030. They serve as a blueprint for collective action, guiding governments, businesses, and communities worldwide towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

This project contributes to the following goals
See all 17 goals

Verification

For each tree planted with Sadhana Forest, the patron will receive evidence of the planting in the form of a photograph of the planted tree, species detail and the exact date and co-ordinate of planting. Patrons are welcome to visit their trees at any time.

Gift trees in this project

Price: $2.50 USD per tree

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