To commemorate the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si, Caritas India made a series of events in association with its Partners and collaborators in India. As part of promoting Laudato Si plan in Kerala, the regional forum in Kerala could set up the demonstration model of garden of Eden and root zone fertigation model, which was inaugurated by Bishop Jose Pulickal, the Chairman of Kerala Social Service Forum.  Regional Forum Director Fr. Jacob Mavunkal and 15 Diocesan Director were present in the demonstration program.

Setting up of Garden of Eden: Garden of Eden is an innovative way of promoting Family Farming using organic growth promoters which can be prepared with local resources. This is done by demarcating a rectangular plot of 4 feet width and 8 feet Length.  4 inches topsoil is taken out and put it on one side of the plot and divided this plot into 4 small plots of 2 feet length. Soil from the first plot is taken out to a depth of 0.5 feet and put it outside and filled dry leaves in the first plot. Soil from the second plot is then taken out (0.5 feet) and put it on the first pit which is filled with dry leaves. Then filled dry leaves in the second plot and out the soil taken out from the third plot (0.5 feet) and put it on the second plot. Filled dry leaves in the third plot and taken out soil from the fourth plot and put it on the third plot which is filled with dry leaves.  Later filled dry leaves in the fourth plot and filled soil which is taken from plot 1.

The 4 inches topsoil taken out from the plot is then mixed with 50-kilogram cow dung, 1 kilogram charcoal powder, 2 Kilogram of neem cake powder, 1 Kilogram of Pseudomonas, 10-kilogram Indigenous Micro Organism (IMO 3), 1-litre Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ), 1-litre Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ), 1 litre Fish Amino Acids (FAA) and 1litre Oriental Herbal Nutrients (OHN). Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) is made with rice washed water and fresh milk.  The rice washed water is filled in a glass bottle and kept in shade for 3 days after covering the mouth with a plain paper.  Fresh milk of 1.5 litres is then added and kept in shade for another 3 days. The yellow-coloured liquid is the LAB.  The ingredients for making Oriental Herbal Nutrients (OHN) are 500-gram Ginger, 500-gram Jaggery and 1 glass Jar. Chopped ginger into small pieces and added jaggery to it in a glass bottle for 5 days to ferment. Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ) is made with 500-gram yellow-coloured Fruits, 500-gram Jaggery and 1 glass Container. These ingredients are mixed well and kept in a container for five days with its mouth covered with a cloth or plain paper

Fish Amino Acids (FAA) is made with 500 grams of blue or black coloured fish, 500 grams of Jaggery, 10-gram charcoal powder and 1 glass Jar. Fish is cut into small pieces added powdered jaggery and charcoal powder to the chopped fish and kept in a glass jar for 7 days.   Indigenous Micro-Organisms such as IMO 1, IMO 2 and IMO 3 are made with cooked rice, jaggery, rice bran. OHN, LAB and water. IMO 1 is made with cooked rice put in a wooden box and bury it three-fourth of the covered wooden box in the pit and leave it on the ground for three days. This is IMO 1. IMO 2 is made with 1 Kilogram of IMO 1 and 1 kilogram of Jaggery mixed well in a glass bottle for 6 hours.  IMO 3 can be made with 2 Kg of IMO2, 10-kilogram rice bran, 1 Litre OHN, 1 lite LAB and 4 litres of water.   Mix well the ingredients and keep it at a height of 30 to 40 cm. After 7 days, there will be fungus being formed which is the IMO 3.

Root Zone Fertigation method in tree planting: The innovation of root zone-based fertigation practice provides water and manure to a depth of 2 to 3 feet which is difficult in surface irrigation methods. This technique involves creating a permeable zone around the root zone of the plant providing a favourable environment in the Rhizosphere (the plant- root interface) by facilitating fertigation (water and nutrients) is being transferred to the root zones at different levels. Rhizosphere part of the plants are the hot spots for microbial diversity.  Water use efficiency will be ensured through this technique and helps in reducing evaporation as the water and nutrients are given directly to the subsurface root zones. This innovation helps in improving the soil texture and structure of the rhizosphere. The growing roots will get nutrients and water in this process and hence the fast and healthy growth of the plants.

Caritas India is introducing a new technique of planting tree saplings with minimum use of water and necessary nutrients.  This is done by digging a pit of 3 feet length, 3 feet width and 2 feet depth and filled gravels/baby metals at the bottom of the pit (4 inches thick). PVC pipe on both side of the pit till it reached the filled gravel. Filled vermicompost to a height of 0.5 feet and gravels/baby metal in 2 feet in the PVC pipe. Filled organic compost (vermicompost), Bone Meal, lime powder, pseudomonas, dry cow dung with the topsoil which is removed by making pit on the top of the gravel and planted a mango sapling and provide fertigation through the pipes.