World Environment Day: Save Soil-Cauvery Calling Farmer's Income Rises From Rs 30,000 To Rs 3 Lakh Per Acre With Tree-based Agriculture

June 5: “Tree-based agriculture is an economic solution to an ecological problem,” said Anand Ethirajalu, Project Director of Save Soil–Cauvery Calling, on the occasion of World Environment Day, urging the government to frame farmer-friendly policies and incentives to accelerate its adoption. The movement, accredited by UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and UN Environment Program (UNEP), demonstrates how ecological restoration and farmer prosperity can go hand in hand with tree-based agriculture, restoring river flow, improving soil health, enhancing the quality of produce, and increasing farm incomes by 300–800%.

The effectiveness of this approach is evident in the outcomes achieved by farmers on farmlands along the banks of Cauvery. One such example is Valluvan, a UN award-winning farmer associated with Save Soil–Cauvery Calling, who transformed his loss-making coconut monoculture farm into a thriving food forest through tree-based agriculture and regenerative farming.

He transitioned from monoculture farming to tree-based agriculture and multi-cropping in 2009. Alongside coconut, he now grows 13 species including nutmeg, seven varieties of banana, fruit-bearing trees, areca nut, curry leaves, turmeric, and elephant yam.

“I incurred a loss of Rs 200 per coconut tree in monoculture earning Rs 30,000 per acre per year. With tree-based agriculture and regenerative farming, I now earn Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per acre annually,” he said.

Valluvan also survived the severe drought of 2017 through practices such as mulching and cover-cropping, which helped retain soil moisture. While neighbouring farms were compelled to cut trees to cope with the drought, his farm remained resilient. His rainwater harvesting pits also helped withstand heavy rainfall and prevent soil erosion.

His farm’s soil organic carbon has risen from roughly 0.52% to 3.36% while coconut yields have increased from about 100 nuts per tree to nearly 160, with average nut weight improving from around 400 grams to nearly 550 grams.

“Tree-based agriculture is the only solution to global warming and climate crisis,” Valluvan, who has an 11 hectares farm in Pollachi, said. Today, he trains and supports other farmers interested in adopting the model. His farm’s restoration practice is documented in the UNCCD-WOCAT global database, and it is regularly certified by the Tamil Nadu Organic Certification Department.

The Save Soil-Cauvery Calling, envisioned by Sadhguru, aims to facilitate the plantation of 242 crore trees on farmlands across the Cauvery basin. So far, it has enabled the plantation of 13.4 crore trees and supported 2.6 lakh farmers in transitioning to tree-based agriculture.

To implement the tree-based agriculture model successfully, providing quality saplings and continuous support to farmers right from planting to harvesting remains an integral part of Save Soil-Cauvery Calling. It operates Asia’s largest single-site nursery in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, managed entirely by over 200 women, with a production capacity of 85 lakh saplings. A second nursery in Thiruvannamalai produces another 15 lakh saplings.

“Our nurseries in Cuddalore and Thiruvannamalai supply saplings through 45 distribution centres in Tamil Nadu and 8 in Karnataka. Farmers can choose from 54 varieties, including 29 high-value timber species such as Teak, Red Sandalwood, Rosewood and Mahogany. Timber saplings are available at a subsidized ₹5, while fruit and flower saplings are priced at ₹10,” said Tamizhmaran, Operations Lead, Save Soil–Cauvery Calling.

To support adoption on the ground, the initiative has deployed more than 200 field executives who have visited over 26,500 farmlands in 2025 alone, providing free consultations from pre-plantation to post-plantation.

“These consultations include assessments of soil type, soil depth, and water conditions, along with recommendations on region-specific species based on agro-climatic conditions and farmers’ income cycles,” said Rushabh Desadla, Communications & Relationships Manager, Cauvery Calling.

The movement drives awareness and adoption through Farmer Producer Organizations, NGOs, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Gram Panchayats, and agricultural expos. More than 60,000 farmers receive real-time support through 225 WhatsApp groups, while a dedicated helpline operates daily from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M.

In 2025, Save Soil–Cauvery Calling conducted three mega training programmes reaching over 14,000 farmers, featuring experts from IISR, IIHR, KFRI, ICFRE, TNAU, and the Central Ground Water Board who shared practical knowledge on tree-based agriculture.

Cauvery Calling is one of the three major on-ground initiatives being carried forward under the broader Save Soil movement. The other two are Save Soil Regenerative Revolution (SS-RR), focused on training farmers in scientific regenerative agriculture, and the Save Soil Farmers Movement, which organizes farmers into Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to strengthen market access and economic resilience. Together, the three initiatives address soil health, farmer livelihoods, and rural resilience through a combination of training, technical support, and community-led action.

Expanding the adoption of regenerative agriculture, Save Soil Regenerative Revolution (SS-RR), as of March 31, 2026, has conducted 532 training programmes reaching 40,311 farmers and added 54,982 farmers to WhatsApp groups for ongoing guidance and support.

Over the last three years, 185 farmers completed three-month internship programmes to strengthen grassroots adoption of regenerative agriculture. SS-RR has also built a significant digital outreach presence, uploading 1,260 technical videos that have collectively generated 296 million views and attracted 1,183,000 subscribers across platforms.