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India Gazette
6 hours ago
- General
- India Gazette
1.36 cr saplings planted in 2024-25 under Cauvery Calling, total plantation soars to 12.2 cr
Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 5 (ANI): Envisioned by Spiritual guru, Sadhguru, the Cauvery Calling movement enabled the plantation of 1.36 crore saplings across 34,000 acres in the Cauvery basin during 2024-25. According to a press release by the Isha Foundation, to date, a total of 12.2 crore saplings have been planted, supporting 2.38 lakh farmers in adopting tree-based agriculture. Remarkably, in the last year alone, 50,931 farmers and citizens actively participated in this large-scale ecological effort. Cauvery Calling is the world's largest farmer-driven ecological initiative and a groundbreaking eco-restoration effort with the potential to transform tropical regions. Named Top Innovator by the Trillion Trees: India Challenge, the movement aims to rejuvenate the Cauvery River--lifeline to 8.4 crore people--while enhancing farmers' incomes by enabling the plantation of 242 crore trees on private farmland. It promotes tree-based agriculture that helps enrich soil health and improve water retention, in turn helping sustain the river's year-round flow, as per the press release. Sadhguru had earlier shared, 'Cauvery Calling will demonstrate to the world that it is possible to change the terrain of degraded Land by taking planned & strategised Action. Everyone who is nourished by Soil & Water must be a part of this Movement. Let Us Make It Happen.' Reflecting on the achievement, Anand Ethirajalu, Project Director of Cauvery Calling and representative of the Save Soil movement, emphasised the urgency of soil regeneration- one of the key objectives of the movement. As per the press release, he said, 'One of the key topics that we were campaigning during this COP29 summit of UNFCCC and COP16 of UNCCD is that less than 4 per cent of the global climate finance is actually reaching agriculture and food systems.' 'We highlighted this because climate change cannot be fixed in the atmosphere. It can be fixed only in the soil. Putting more focus and investment in soil regeneration through tree-based agriculture is the need of the hour, and that's what we've been doing,' Ethirajalu added. According to the statement by Isha Foundation, providing a large quantity of quality saplings is crucial to achieving the goal of planting over a crore saplings each year. The Cauvery Calling production centres play a vital role in this effort. The production centres include a nursery in Cuddalore, one of the world's largest single-site nurseries, entirely run by women, with a capacity to produce 85 lakh saplings. Together with the nursery at Thiruvannamalai, which produces 15 lakh saplings, these centres form the backbone of the initiative. These nurseries supply 40 distribution centres across Tamil Nadu and 10 centres in Karnataka. Together, these nurseries offer 29 high-value timber species, including Teak, Red Sandalwood, Rosewood, and Mahogany at a subsidised rate of Rs. 3 per sapling. The Nursery at Sadhguru Sannidhi Bengaluru also reached a significant milestone of enabling the plantation of 1,00,000 saplings since its inception in December 2023. At present, it has enabled the plantation of over 1.3 lakh saplings. Cauvery Calling is enhancing farmer livelihoods by enabling them to run sapling production and distribution franchises. Farmers are trained and supported to manage nurseries and supply high-quality organic saplings to their communities. The initiative deployed over 160 field executives to visit more than 32,000 farmlands. These executives offer free consultations from pre-plantation to post-plantation, aiming to spread awareness about the benefits of adopting tree-based agriculture. During the visits, the executives check soil type, soil depth and conduct water tests and recommend tree species suitable for their respective farmlands. These recommendations are carefully curated after considering the region's endemic tree varieties, agro-climatic conditions and income-cycle expectations of the farmers. Cauvery Calling also engages with farmers through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), NGOs, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Gram Panchayats, and agricultural expos. Over 52,000 farmers are supported through 225+ active WhatsApp groups that provide real-time advice. A dedicated helpline, operational daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., resolves farmer queries within 24-48 hours using insights from experts and model farmers, according to the press release. The movement also organised 2 mega training programs and 6 zonal programs in 2024, with 8,721 farmers participating. Experts from prestigious institutions like the National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), and Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) shared practical knowledge about tree-based agriculture. In 2024, on landmark days such as World Environment Day (June 5), Van Mahotsav Week (July 1-7), Gandhi Jayanti (October 2), and World Soil Day (December 5) etc, 506 plantation events were conducted, resulting in the planting of 10 lakh saplings. (ANI)
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
More than a third of UK agricultural soil degraded by intensive farming
More than 60% of the EU's agricultural soils are degraded due to intensive agriculture, with similar damage to about 40% of British soils, a report has found. Experts from the Save Soil initiative said nourishing and restoring agricultural soils could reduce the impact of the climate crisis and provide protection against the worsening extremes of weather, as well as the food shortages and price rises likely to accompany them. This degradation of soil is changing the land's water cycle and exacerbating the impact of the climate crisis in a vicious circle. Impoverished soils, lacking their natural structure, are incapable of holding water in any quantity, so that when it rains, the water tends to run off them, worsening flooding; but in times of drought, when healthy soils would act as a sponge, poor soils have little resilience. Save Soil, which advocates regenerative farming practices, called for soil restoration to be made a key priority of climate programmes, and for changes in agricultural policies and subsidies to reward it. 'Europe and the UK are experiencing extremes – parched fields one month, flooded towns the next. What this report makes clear is that our soils are no longer buffering us,' said a spokesperson for the group. 'We are losing the natural infrastructure that manages water.' In 2022, a third of the EU population and 40% of the bloc's land were affected by water scarcity, while Spain, Italy and Germany have also seen disastrous floods in 2023-2024, the report noted. Groundwater levels have dropped by a third in France, and the UK is likely to see drought this year despite record rain last year. Nearly half of the global urban population, about 2.4 billion people, will face water scarcity by 2050, according to the UN. Price rises of some commodities affected by the climate crisis, including coffee and chocolate, are already being seen by consumers. Last year, a UN study found an excess of salt was already reducing the fertility of at least 10% of land globally, while a further 1bn hectares were under threat. Healthy soils also store more carbon, helping to offset the impact of fossil fuels. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Karen Johnson, professor of environmental engineering at Durham University, who was not involved with the report, said: 'Soil is a living material intimately connected to human and planetary health and it is only by working with soil as a living material that we can address the global challenges [facing] water. Let's work with the soil microbiome instead of against it – we may as well harness over three billion years of evolutionary knowledge.' Hannah Blitzer, a senior policy officer at the Soil Association, called on the UK government to take action: 'It is essential that soil is better protected – the UK government should give this vital resource the same protection as water and air, while also backing nature-friendly farming like organic that puts soil health first. This means moving away from reliance on harmful artificial pesticides and fertilisers and switching to building resilience in soils through nature-based solutions.' In the UK, farmers can be paid to protect and restore their soils through government schemes. However, one of the key programmes, the sustainable farming incentive, has been paused, and funding for nature-friendly farming is under threat as the Treasury reviews expenditure, leaving farmers in doubt over whether to invest in changing their practices. A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: 'This government recognises the importance of healthy, functioning soil for resilience against the impacts of climate change, such as flooding and drought and to protect food security. That is why we are taking action through agri-environment schemes to encourage land management practices that focus on a sustainable approach to farm and soil management.'
Time of India
30-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
India's quiet power: How soil can shape a resilient future
Praveena Sridhar is the Chief Science and Technology Officer of the Save Soil movement. She has a Master's in Environment Engineering and is a public policy expert. She has been working in the environmental sector for over 20 years. Over the years, she has worked on projects to deliver sustainable drinking water and sanitation, agriculture, and farmer welfare. LESS ... MORE As the world marks Earth Day, India faces an urgent need not just for reflection, but recalibration. With climate volatility, declining nutritional security, rural distress, and biodiversity loss converging into a complex national challenge, the solution may lie beneath our very feet. Soil—living, dynamic, and often overlooked—emerges as a strategic asset that can address these overlapping crises through one integrated approach. One Root, Many Branches India's soil health crisis is no longer invisible. According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, nearly 147 million hectares—about 37% of our land—is degraded. Alarmingly, 30% of agricultural soils are classified as severely degraded, with organic carbon levels falling below 0.5% in many regions. The economic toll is substantial: land degradation costs the Indian economy an estimated ₹3.17 lakh crore annually, nearly 2% of our GDP. These figures are not abstract. They show up in reduced farm incomes, shrinking yields, rising input costs, and food with 15–35% fewer essential micronutrients like iron, zinc, and vitamin A. For nearly 100 million small and marginal farmers—the backbone of Indian agriculture—soil degradation is directly linked to growing debt and dwindling resilience. Soil as a National Strategy The appeal of soil restoration lies in its multiplier effect. Healthy soil supports thriving microbial life, anchors biodiversity, buffers against climate extremes, and produces nutrient-rich food—all while stabilizing farmer incomes and reducing public spending on inputs like chemical fertilizers, which crossed ₹1.7 lakh crore in subsidies last year. Farmers adopting regenerative practices—from agroforestry and crop rotation to composting and reduced tillage—report 30–45% higher net incomes, along with up to 30% lower irrigation needs. The benefits go beyond economics. Soils managed with organic principles can sequester an estimated 7–10 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per hectare annually, while enhancing water retention—a crucial adaptation tool in an era of erratic monsoons. Solution for a Nexus of Problems The need for integrative approaches is echoed globally. Experts and policymakers now call for collaboration among the Rio Conventions on Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Desertification. Soil offers a unifying framework: addressing its health unlocks progress on all three fronts. And India is well positioned to lead this approach. With centuries of ecological knowledge, emerging regenerative farming movements, and vast cultivated lands, we hold the tools to mainstream a Soil rejuvenation as a solution for a nexus of problems linking environmental health with economic well-being. India has already initiated several efforts—the Soil Health Card Scheme, the National Agroforestry Policy, and the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, among others. These are important steps, and lay a robust foundation. What's needed is a systems-level redesign: one that sees soil not as an isolated environmental issue but as foundational to agricultural productivity, public health, and fiscal stability. Reframing the Future In an age of geopolitical uncertainties and shifting trade dynamics—such as the temporary pause on U.S. tariffs on Indian agricultural goods—self-reliance in food systems becomes not just prudent, but essential. Fertile, resilient soil is the bedrock of that independence. As India charts its path toward sustainable development, soil should no longer remain beneath the radar. Investing in soil regeneration is not just a matter of ecological necessity—it is a pathway to economic resilience, nutritional security, and climate preparedness. This Earth Day, it's time to stop treating soil as an afterthought and start seeing it as the strategic national asset it truly is. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
The National
11-04-2025
- General
- The National
Hundreds of millions will flee homes if soil degradation continues, new report warns
Time is running out to reduce the degradation of Earth's soil and, without urgent action, the forced migration of people as a result is estimated to soar, a new report said. Warning that 'soil degradation is a critical and often overlooked threat multiplier,' the Save Soil non-profit organisation highlighted that when agricultural productivity was hit, millions were forced to leave their homes, unable to bear the brunt of relentless droughts and floods. Titled 'The nexus of soil degradation, climate change and food insecurity: A looming global migration crisis," the report, released on Thursday, analyses data from organisations including the World Bank and the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification). The World Bank has warned that more than 216 million people could be displaced from their homes by 2050 due to climate change with the poorest regions the worst affected. "When soil loses its vitality, communities lose their resilience to drought, crop yields plummet, and people are left with no choice but to move,' said Praveena Sridhar, chief technology officer of Save Soil, urging action to prevent the doubling of forced global migration by 2100 due to increased aridity and drought. 'Maintaining healthy soil with adequate organic matter is not just an environmental issue, it's fundamental to preventing forced migration.' Ms Sridhar said investing in soil health was necessary to reduce the pressures driving global migration and also opened a path to tackle the impact of climate change and ensure food security. She said countries should frame policies to restore soil health, remove chemical fertilisers and pesticides and allow the soil to retain water and nutrients with regenerative agricultural practices. Calling on governments and civil society to prioritise soil protection and restoration, she said, 'This report underscores the urgent need to see healthy and living soil as the solution for the nexus of problems that humanity faces through mass migration, climate change, land degradation and food security.' The Save Soil organisation has often launched global campaigns to raise awareness that protecting soil is essential to save the planet and tackle the climate crisis. The group supports more than 250,000 Indian farmers to implement soil revitalisation projects and hopes to place soil nutrition on the agenda of all governments. The United Nations has warned of a dangerous decline in food production over the next 25 years, with the Earth's topsoil at risk by 2050. "Our report reveals that the foundation of stable communities is literally eroding beneath our feet," the study said. It pointed out that the severe consequences of soil degradation were already evident, with crop production expected to decline by 22 per cent by 2040 in sub-Saharan Africa, with maize yields in some regions likely to drop by 50 per cent by 2050. Countries in the Middle East and North Africa region are among the most vulnerable. They have called on the international community to give priority to regions facing drought, water scarcity and rising temperatures that contribute to forced migration. The impact will also be felt in Europe, with more land turning arid and dry, which will subsequently affect food production. The report emphasised that the impact of soil degradation and climate change on mass migration cannot be overlooked. Sustainable land management practices that teach farmers not to over-till the land, and to use organic compost and plant trees to reduce erosion are vital for food security and to help communities to remain in their homes, the study said.
