Farmers in many of the target villages are vulnerable to the fragile ecosystem, lack of access to inputs, appropriate technology and access to the market. Conventional farming has been followed for more than two decades, which usually has deleterious effects on the soil fertility due to imbalance and improper use of agrochemicals leading to a gradual soil decline as well as in the agriculture productivity coupled with the increase in the cost of

Azolla is a small leaf floating pteridophyte of Azollaceae family; it forms a symbiotic relationship with the Cyno-bacterium Anabaena which fix atmospheric nitrogen and gives the plant access to the essential nutrients. Cyano bacteria obtain energy through photosynthesis and very often Cyano bacteria phylum is alternatively called “blue-green algae”. Azolla keeps symbiotic blue-green algae, Anabeana Azollae, which simultaneously fixes and assimilates

For every rural household in North East India, bamboos are a part of life. Bamboo finds its place in construction, furniture and flooring, handicrafts and a host of other things. Bamboo also has a considerable demand in the markets of the region. Bamboo plants are perennial which grow from rhizomes underground growths that form buds and culms. Propagating bamboo involves separating rhizomes from parent plants before they begin to sprout new growth

Once banana is harvested, the plant is generally abandoned and left to die. However, this banana trunk could be used to grow vegetable seedlings. Banana trunk nursery technique is an easy and cost-effective process for promoting vegetable cultivation. It’s a zero-budget technology as the resources are easily available in rural areas. The process requires easily available dry cow dung, soil, and seeds. Several holes are made into the trunk and then

Mr. Sunny D’Souza, a farmer from Mangalore has 11 acres of land was practicing Chemical farming till 2004. The workshop on organic farming organised by Caritas India in Mangalore encouraged him to do organic farming in his land. Now he is not using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. He is very happy with the new (organic) agriculture practice as it fetches good income to his family. He is producing vermicopmpost, panchagavya, Jeeva jal, Gunapajalam,

Challenges in social work has increased manifold after the recent socio-political development. Every Non-Government Organisation (NGO) is under the scanner of strict scrutiny and vigilance. In this paradigm shift, the NGO’s needs to be more accountable and should be transparent and effective in every activity that they do. Keeping this background in mind, Caritas India being the social wing of Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India, it has become