Conservation - INDIA Project Information for Conservation in India

Our Conservation Project in India

In the rural state of Tamil Nadu, people live much the way their ancestors did, farming the land with simple tools, collecting firewood from the forests and discarding waste on any available land. However, recently this has started causing problems due to India's rapidly increasing population, imbalanced industrial growth and urban sprawl, the introduction of environmentally damaging products such as plastics and chemical pesticides and an increase in trade creating the need for higher productivity. Although India's pollution levels are nowhere near those of a developed country, some of the damage caused to the local environment could be avoided. Indian farmland is suffering considerably and by raising awareness and sharing knowledge on how to prevent this, you can make a difference.

Volunteers are of great use to the local community in their sharing of specialized knowledge from the rest of the world. They also set a positive example, for instance when trees are planted by the roadside. Not only do the trees help impact the aesthetics and air quality of a place, but locals appreciate these efforts and become environmentally aware. In an effort to educate and involve the local community, volunteers are also active in local school programs and hand out informational pamphlets in community markets.

The Eco-Development Project was founded for the promotion of sustainable farming and environmental conservation. The project began in 2001 as a simple tree-planting project at the foot of the Western Ghat Mountains. It has since expanded to include the promotion of many environmentally friendly farming practices.

The Role of the Volunteer

Volunteers spend the majority of their time at the Model Farm, a sustainable, organic farm which is run and maintained entirely by Projects Abroad staff and volunteers. Working hours are from 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 17:00. At the start of their placement, each volunteer is trained by the placement supervisor Ponraj in the different work and techniques involved.

Once trained, volunteer tasks include:

• cultivating a large medicinal nursery - planting medicinal herbs that can be used to treat a wide variety of common ailments
• producing 'vermin-compost' - a natural fertilizer produced from domestic and farm waste using earthworms
• visiting the nearby town of Rajapalayam once a week to sell low-priced vermin-compost at the local market, aimed at achieving awareness more than making a profit
• tending to the plants, planting more of them and introducing endangered plant species to the farm
• sharing knowledge with the local community on sustainable farming through demonstrating the techniques and technologies employed on the Model Farm
• assisting in implementing these new ideas that often prove beneficial to local farmers and community members
• planting and looking after trees - we are replanting species that have suffered deforestation in the past; the species chosen are those which are beneficial to the local communities

We have our own staff working full-time on the project, but also recognize the need for expert assistance from outside. Volunteers working on parts of the project that require specialist knowledge will spend some of their time at other centres in southern India, learning the necessary skills to bring back to the farm. This also comes as a welcome break from the physical labour at the farm.

LEIF in India

LEIF - Low External Input Farming - is the founding philosophy of the Model Farm. Projects Abroad promotes LEIF in order to reach out and educate local farmers. You plant the seeds of knowledge in the community by bringing school children to visit the farm and explaining the different methods of farming that are more environmentally safe and financially practical.

LEIF was established due to the worrying effects of artificial pesticides and fertilizers used by local farmers. These artificial chemicals create health problems for consumers and are an economic strain on those who use them. Local farmers employ these means for three primary reasons:

• they have been the uncontested norm for over 30 years
• there is a lack of information and disinformation about production companies
• artificial materials require less manual labor and little foresight

The focus of the Model Farm is to show the value of Low External Input Farming. This stresses alternative methods in soil fertility/erosion control and pest/disease management. The model farm helps farmers see the positive results and build up the courage to change their methods.