Our Jagannatha Vallabha Project has developed from the feedback of several Seminars on Sustainable Development that PAVAN organised in rural and tribal areas in Orissa.

The participants to the Seminars were very interested in the topics, but they needed a practical demonstration on land of the concepts we explained, and they asked for a permanent reference place where residential and non-residential seminars, courses and follow up could be developed all the year around.

 From 2003 to date we experimented with the local farmers, growing rice and other crops, and we concluded that the rural people urgently need to have more knowledge and information about sustainable agriculture, as the conditions of the soil and water are constantly worsening, and the farmers become poorer and face more and more problems.

The local farmers mostly grow rice, with some coconut plantations and in rare cases monocultures of seasonal vegetables, to be sold wholesale to the general markets in the towns, but no importance is given to biodiversity and self-sufficient farming at village level. With no facility or know-how about village-level processing of the agricultural products for conservation and increased market value, people are suffering from financial problems, malnutrition and bad health, lack of infrastructures in general and lack of education and information.

Thus, within our 7 acres of land we created a model farm based on diversified cultivations, rotation of crops, and permaculture: the creation of a self-sufficient ecosystem with productive species, which requires little human intervention.

More information about Permaculture can be availed at the library of our Organisation and on several dedicated websites.

Natural enrichment of the soil through gradual colonisation by grass and wild plants has improved the fertility and allowed good harvests without the use of chemical fertilisers.

The use of matured cow dung also helps the plants prosper and produce abundant fruit.

The cultivation is done through organic farming methods (cowdung fertiliser, neem extracts and other vegetable substances as natural pesticides or insect repellents), in order to avoid poisoning soil and water. A bank of natural organic seeds is being developed to assist the farmers who accept to avoid hybrid seeds (which do not grown into self-propagating plants) and genetically modified seeds (which adversely affect health and environment).

This rice field is also cultivated by rotation with legume plants, which absorb the nitrogen present in the atmosphere and pass it to the soil through the nodules in their roots.

Our cultivation plan also includes many species of fruit trees and plants, flower plants, apiary, a goshala and biogas production installation, a plant nursery with medicinal herbs.

Our Research and Development department works also with indigenous "forest" vegetables and fruits, the introduction of new compatible species from other areas, with the aim of creating a practically-oriented botanical garden aimed at sustainable self-sufficiency at all possible levels.

The agricultural products are also processed locally to generate income and occupational opportunities for the local people, also within the micro-financing schemes and the development of cooperatives.

Fruits and vegetables are used to prepare all-natural jams, juices and preserves which prolong the availability of nutrients beyond the seasonal period.

All food processing is done without any chemical additive, with a simple village-level technology of thermal drying, vacuum packing and thermal sterilisation.

Our growing goshala supplies pure milk from cows as well as the cow dung that is used as a natural fertiliser.

Here are the production categories:

1. staple: rice and red rice, wheat, millet, barley, buckwheat, jowar, ragi, bajra, etc

2. soil enrichers: chick peas, soya, lentils: rajma, arharh dal, mung dal, urad dal etc

3. rotation cultures: sesame, peanuts, corn etc

4. fast growth fruits and sugar sources:

banana, papaya, pineapple, sugarcane, bush berries, etc

5. pumpkin family: pumpkin, white pumpkin, cucumber, watermelon, karela, other plants of the family

6. night shade family: tomato, eggplant, capsicum, potato, etc

7. seasonal vegetables: cabbage, carrot, green peas, green beans, bhindi, etc

8. water plants: lotus, white lily, singara, etc

9. scented flowers for honey and garlands, jams and teas: jasmine, rose, tuberose, champa, marigold, etc

10. spices: ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, etc

11. citrus fruits: lemon, sweet lemon, orange, etc

12. medium-height fruit trees: dwarf mango, guava, chikku, sitaphal, ramaphal,. grapefruit, lichee, bel, pomegranate etc

13. taller trees: coconuts, jackfruit, neem, mulberry, etc.

A plant nursery will also grow saplings for the reforestation of the region and the practical introduction of forest gardening and permaculture for the self-sufficient economy of the rural people.

The processing and preservation of the crops into the following products (no chemical preservatives or additives are used):

- vegetarian and healthy bakery items, including atta bread, biscuits, sweet and salted pastries, etc

- honey, black wax ointments, wax-based natural medicines for humans, animals and plants

- clean sugarcane gur and sweets made with such gur (rich in iron and other minerals, especially to supplement the children's and mothers'diet)

- natural jams (pasteurisation method): pineapple, bel, mango, papaya, papaya-ginger, guava, rose, rose berries, jasmine, mulberry and other berries, lemon, orange, green tomato, carrot-ginger etc

- syrups (pasteurisation method): pomegranate, berries, pineapple, lichee, bel, orange, lemon, condensed coconut milk

- natural vegetable preserves (pasteurisation method):

tomato puree, green mango puree, tomato sauces with herbs, tomato chatni, tomato ketchup, pineapple chatni, mint chatni, nim chatni, durlabha pesto sauce, bean spread, peanut butter, sesame butter, baby corn, baby cucumbers, baby karela, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, green peas, green beans, spinach, oil-preserved brinjal, oil-preserved karela, etc

- natural juices (pasteurisation method):

tal juice, pineapple, tomato, carrot, spinach/cabbage, karela, mango, bel, guava, lemon, orange, watermelon, tamarind

- pickles: lemon, green mango, ginger chilli, mixed vegetables, carrot lemon, radish, baby cucumbers, nim, karela, brinjal, alpai, amalaki

- candied fruits and candies: dates, papaya, pineapple, orange peels, bel, ginger

- papads, puffed rice, grain flakes (corn flakes, rice flakes, wheat flakesetc for breakfast), etc

- herbal teas, dried herbs for cooking, masala mixes, flavored salts

- milk products: milk, dahi, panir, butter, flavored butter spreads, ghee, misti dahi, milk sweets, condensed milk, several types of western-style cheese

The third step is the distribution of such processed foods and fresh foods (such as lassi, fresh juices, snacks and bakery items) at a model shop managed by the Organisation, with special programmes to promote vegetarian nutrition awareness among the local people, the restaurants and hotels, hospitals and health workers, and social work and voluntary organisations.