Soil health enhancement
Improved soil fertility, structure, and biological activity through sustainable management practices and organic farming techniques.
Soil & land management
Soil health improvement, erosion control, and sustainable land use practices.
1,79,486
Hectares of wasteland reclaimed
479
Village panchayats covered
14
Districts of Tamil Nadu
Understanding
What soil and land management means
What is soil & land management?
Soil and land management encompasses the sustainable use, conservation, and improvement of soil resources to maintain and enhance agricultural productivity while protecting environmental quality.
Our approach focuses on promoting sustainable agriculture practices, organic farming techniques, and indigenous knowledge systems that enhance soil fertility and maintain ecological balance. Coodu Trust began running training programmes on indigenous farming in 2002–03, covering organic and natural farming, biofertilisers from coir pith and solid waste, herbal pesticides and panchakavya, vermi-compost, small millets for food security and agroforestry.
The training has been steady rather than spectacular. In 2004–05, 244 women in Trichy and Karur districts were trained in vermi-composting and organic farming. In 2008–09, 32 participants were trained with NABARD, Karur and 250 with DRDA, Dindigul, and 50 vermicomposting units were erected at Mylampatti village in Kadavur block, Karur. A further 72 farmers were trained in indigenous traditional knowledge that year with resource persons from Gandhigram Rural University.
- Sustainable agriculture
- Organic farming
- Indigenous practices
- Vermi-composting
Why this work matters
The challenge on the ground — and our answer
The challenge
Farming locked into chemicals
Dependency on chemical fertilizers and pesticides drains soil fertility while input costs keep climbing.
Our response
Train farmers in chemical-free methods
Hands-on training in organic farming with natural inputs and biological pest control cuts input costs and protects environmental quality.
The challenge
Soil losing its life
Declining fertility, poor structure and fading biological activity leave fields less productive every season.
Our response
Feed the soil naturally
Vermi-composting, enriched farmyard production and organic waste utilization turn farm waste into natural fertilizer that rebuilds soil health.
The challenge
Indigenous know-how fading
Traditional farming practices that kept land productive for generations are being lost to chemical-era habits.
Our response
Revive and pass on the knowledge
Indigenous-practice training and farmer-to-farmer learning — including a structured debate between two groups of 25 progressive farmers in Kadavur block, Karur, comparing conventional and organic farming systems.
The challenge
Wasteland lying unproductive
Degraded, eroded land sits idle — unable to support crops, fodder or family incomes.
Our response
Bring land back into use
Sustainable land management alongside our watershed work has reclaimed 1,79,486 hectares of wasteland, as recorded in the 2018–19 annual report.
At a glance
The essentials
- Active since
- 2002First indigenous farming training programmes recorded in the 2002–03 annual report
- Training delivered
- Vermi-composting & organic farming244 women in Trichy & Karur (2004–05); 282 participants with NABARD Karur and DRDA Dindigul (2008–09); 160 members from 20 SHGs at Vadamadurai, Dindigul (2007–08)
- Land reclaimed
- 1,79,486 hectaresWasteland brought back to productive use — figure published in the 2018–19 annual report
- Project portfolio
- 3 training programmesDelivered across 2002–2009
- Most recent delivery
- Vermi-composting & organic farming training2003–2009, with 50 vermicomposting units built at Mylampatti, Karur
- Delivery model
- Farmer training & knowledge transferIndigenous practices, organic methods, community learning
Track record
Project portfolio, 2002–2009
| Programme | Period | Type | Highlights | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training on indigenous farming practices | 2002–2009 | Training programme | Farmer training · 72 farmers trained with Gandhigram Rural University in 2008–09 | Completed |
| Sustainable agriculture training | 2002–2003 | Training programme | Farmer training · soil health focus | Completed |
| Vermi-composting and organic farming training | 2003–2009 | Training programme | Farmer training · 50 vermicomposting units built at Mylampatti, Karur | Completed |
Impact
What soil and land management changes
Sustainable agriculture
Promoted eco-friendly farming practices that maintain productivity while protecting environmental quality and reducing chemical dependency.
Organic input production
Established vermi-composting systems for organic fertilizer production — 50 units erected at Mylampatti village, Kadavur block, Karur, reducing costs and improving soil health naturally.
Indigenous knowledge revival
Revived and promoted traditional farming practices that ensure sustainable land management and ecological balance, with technical support from Gandhigram Rural University and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.
Get involved
Support sustainable agriculture
Join us in promoting sustainable soil and land management practices that enhance agricultural productivity while protecting environmental health. Your support helps farmers adopt eco-friendly farming techniques.