Training on Biodynamic Farming Practices in Tamil Nadu

25 Oct, 2024

The Biodynamic Association of India (BDAI) organised a four-day training on biodynamic farming, with 45 participants from across India. This training, held at Mother India Farm in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, focused on equipping farmers with the knowledge and skills to adopt biodynamic farming practices. It included topics such as the theories of Rudolf Steiner, the use of a planting calendar and the preparation of biodynamic formulations to improve soil health and crop productivity. The fourteen lead farmers from the develoPPP spices project participated in the training, which also covered Demeter certification standards.

This training is a step towards promoting sustainable farming practices and maintaining the rhythm of nature that align with biodiversity conservation goals which is vital aspect of biodynamic farming. By adopting these techniques, participants are improving soil health, increasing crop productivity, and reducing reliance on chemical inputs, directly supporting both environmental and socio-economic sustainability.

Key Highlights:

The training included practical, hands-on sessions on biodynamic farming techniques led by expert trainers. Lead farmers shared their successful experiences of implementing biodynamic practices, offering valuable insights. A final session focused on the Demeter certification process, explaining its standards and benefits. One of the lead farmers, Mr. Navaneetha Krishnan, shared how adopting biodynamic practices in the Gobi area significantly improved soil health and productivity, inspiring other farmers in the community to embrace these methods.

Building on the success of the Dharmapuri training, a follow-up session was held in the Gobi, Erode area by Mr. Navaneetha Krishnan and was attended by 60 local farmers at KVK Myarada to extend the learnings to all project farmers. This will include practical demonstrations and further guidance on implementing biodynamic farming principles.

Alignment with National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2030

The training contributes to the Theme 2: Meeting People’s Needs through Sustainable Use and Benefit-Sharing, specifically:Target 10 on sustainable management of agriculture and forest areas. By focusing on biodynamic farming, farmers can sustainably manage agricultural areas, particularly in spice cultivation, ensuring these ecosystems remain productive and biodiversity friendly. It also addresses Target 11, which aims to enhance ecosystem services and regulate water and air quality. Biodynamic practices improve soil health, which strengthens ecosystem resilience, leading to better water retention and reducing vulnerability to environmental stresses like extreme weather events. It is found that the soil microbial count is significantly high in Biodynamic farming. Thus, conserving the soil biodiversity.

Additionally, the training supports Theme 3: Tools and Solutions for Implementation and Mainstreaming, particularly Target 20 on capacity building. It empowers farmers with the knowledge and skills to implement biodynamic farming techniques, enhancing their capacity for maintaining the natural rhythm of the ecosystem and conserve soil biodiversity, agroecosystem along with sustainable agriculture. The training also contributes to Target 21 on communication, awareness and knowledge management, strengthening the exchange of ideas and practices among farmers and creating a broader impact within the community. This initiative is a key step towards achieving the NBSAP targets by linking practical, sustainable farming techniques with biodiversity goals.

Way Forward:

Additional sessions will be planned across other regions in the develoPPP spices project to ensure wider adoption of sustainable farming practices. The participants from the training have created a WhatsApp group where they actively share photos of their preparations for biodynamic farming and the progress of their crops. This initiative aims to inspire and encourage other group members to adopt these sustainable practices.

A glimpse of biodynamic preparations © Pradnya Thombare/GIZ India

A group photo of lead farmers from develoPPP spices project in the training on biodynamic farming at Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu © Pradnya Thombare/GIZ India

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About the project

The ‘Enhancement of Smallholder Spice Farmer’s Capacities in Sustainable Farming’ aims to strengthen the production of cardamom (Kerala), Cumin and Dill seed (Rajasthan) turmeric (Tamil Nadu and Karnataka), Celery (Punjab and Haryana) by increasing the capacities of spice farmers and making the production practices economically, socially and environmentally more sustainable.

The project is part of the develoPPP.de Programme implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The lead executing agency for this project is AVT McCormick. develop.PPP was set up by BMZ to involve the private sector in areas where business opportunities and development policy initiatives overlap. Read More

For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de