“Mass industrialization has led to large-scale deforestation, exploitation of natural resources and pollution of the elements. We need to go back to honouring nature and being sensitive to nature.”
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of IAHV
India is seriously water-stressed and is poised on the brink of an acute water crisis. It has 17% of the world population and has access to only 4% of global freshwater. Radical land exploitation with forests being converted into agricultural lands; disastrous groundwater management with indiscriminate extraction and migration in search for water exacerbate the situation.
We asked the right question. We realised it is not a one size fits all approach. We harnessed the best minds in ecological conservation and riverine basin management and worked to replenish underground water systems, reforest barren lands and restore the biodiversity of the regions. We believe that sustainable development will happen when people of the land are engaged in the change.
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Providing local solutions that mimic natural systems. Solving immediate needs and creating systems that ensure reliable supplies. Empowering locals through capacity building frameworks
From 2018-20, we constructed 8,100 recharge structures in catchment areas in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, desilted 2.7million cubic meters of soil/rubble from river-beds and increased water storage capacity by 2.75billion litres.
From 2018-20, our projects impacted 1,227,200 people in 477 villages in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
“Agriculture is the backbone of human existence. For any civilization to prosper, agriculture has to be healthy and sustainable. We need to get our focus back on agriculture which is the primary industry. Our earth has plenty for everyone. We only have to manage its resources well."
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of IAHV
Food and Agriculture today stand at crossroads. Progress has come with huge social and environmental costs impacting the productive potential of our natural resources. With climate change and decreasing nutritional security; farmers are caught in debt traps of loans taken to meet escalating costs of farming inputs, leading to increasing farmer suicides.
We work to restore the land and heal the farmer. We have trained 2.2 million farmers in natural farming and protecting indifenous seeds for our future. We transform, one acre at a time; establishing model farms which becomes a powerful driver for accelerated adoption of natural farming techniques.
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From 2018-20, we converted 66,700 acres and trained 28,100 people (25% women) in climate-resilient natural farming techniques with indigenous seeds to improve soil fertility, reduce water run-off and increase yield whilst preserving quality.
In 2018, we gave farmers a 2000 year old spherical shaped golden-hued ‘Sona Moti’ (Golden Pearl) grain, tested to have high folic acid content, 3x the minerals, and earning them 4x the price of industrialised hybrid wheat.
From 2018-20, our farmers saved over Rs.66million in chemical pesticide usage, Rs.2million in urea usage, and a water saving equivalent to 14,000 rural people’s domestic annual usage.
“Environment doesn’t have any geographic or political boundaries. We have one planet earth and we have one atmosphere. To care for that we need to create huge awareness throughout the world."
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of IAHV
Energy is critical and the world’s most vulnerable people with no sustainable access to energy are deprived of the opportunity to become part of national and global progress. Power supply continues to be unavailable or with recurring cuts in remote, inaccessible parts of India or areas with high poverty and social inequality that experience armed conflict and political insurgency or natural disasters.
We realised that transformation to solar energy requires enhancing awareness as well as building a community of entrepreneurs who can provide solar energy at low cost. We create off-grid model villages providing access to the last mile. We train entrepreneurs in renewable energy and keep our costs low making it sustainable for local communities.
From 2018-20, we impacted 3,507 people, distributed 2,315 solar lamps, installed 15 off-grid solar rooftop plants, 25 street lights and a solar micro-grid in remote/conflict/disaster areas.
From 2018-20, we established 3 solar and electrical training centres, trained 1009 renewable energy technicians and 51 solar entrepreneurs from vulnerable rural communities
“Prosperity is in acknowledging the magnanimity of the planet; honoring the planet and its abundance."
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of IAHV
Waste is one of the largest urban challenges impacting the environment, hygiene, sanitation, pollution and quality of life everywhere. As the waste problem is caused by human behaviour, the solution potentially lies in changing that behaviour. In order to overcome the solid waste crisis, the consciousness of the individual needs to be raised through inculcation of sustainable consumption practices and education.
Waste management is a critical part of our sensitization programs for human health and environmental protection. From recycling and processing of organic and inorganic waste to national campaigns against single-use plastics, our commitment to reducing waste in India’s landfills is relentless.
From 2018-20, we installed 9 composting plants in religious shrines with a capacity to process 6,600 kg/day
From 2018-20, we set up 3 waste composting plants with the capacity to process 2,500 kgs per day - two in New Delhi and one in Ghaziabad
Over 40 years, The Art of Living International Centre in Bengaluru has evolved from a few acres of bare, rocky land into a 65-acre verdant landscape, rich in plant, tree, bird and insect diversity.
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