Right from the beginning of developing the
Institute's training programmes, a conscious decision was made as not alienate
these young women from their rural and agricultural background. Most of the
rural youth in central India, once the come to study and live in the towns and
cities, they do not go back to the their village or their farmlands.
Each
Morning between 7:00am and 9:00am all the trainees and staff work in the field
and gardens also
sweeping/cleaning the building and surrounding areas, they learn how to maintain
the garden, They also learn how to grow most vegetables and fruits, and how to
maintain soil fertility, better methods of irrigation, different methods of
composting including vermi composting, raise and maintain nurseries and other
methods of plant propagation and growing other crops on a larger scale for
storage such as potatoes, onion and garlic, different pulses, grains and grams,
peas and beans, spices including turmeric and chilies.
Almost all the
ingredients for the Institute's meals with exception of wheat, rice and cooking
oil etc. Are provided for by the farm and garden, all vegetables are harvested
just prior to cooking.
They learn to prepare and raise plant and tree nurseries, flower gardens,
transplanting and plant propagation, water, soil and energy conservation.
Caring
for the environment is taught as a spiritual responsibility with a focus on
sustainable development, these women are exposed to appropriate and sustainable
solutions to the current problems of forest and land degradation, the depletion
of groundwater resources and rainfall dependant vegetable production.
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Barli
