Climate driven challenges, food driven health challenges and the limits of soil and water exploitation are making industrial farming methods more and more unviable and unsustainable with each passing year. Returning to natural methods and food forests are the only answer. But it takes years for the food forests to become sustainable. Hence, it is best to start as soon as possible.
We work with many Individual Farm owners, communities, and Big India Farms, to guide and convert their lands to Food Forests. Once our team finds them fit for Aranyaani products, then only we include their products to our supply.
We use farms/ food forests that have a score of above 80 on the following Aranyaani scale:
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| Aranyaani Index Calculator |
What is needed to have a food forest that can be used as an Aranyaani project base:
A. If you have a farm land that has been tilled and chemical used:
If you already own a farm land that has been tilled, chemicals used, and has lost bio-diversity, it will take a long term commitment to be our partner.
If a land has been tilled recently (within 3 years), it sets us back by 2 years. If pesticides and chemicals have been used, then it sets us back by additional 2 years. If the land has lost bio-diversity and water channels due to crop patterns, and has lost honey bees, then it sets us back by another 3 years. Please factor that kind of periods when starting with us. We do not understand any fly by night methods.
Once started on this path, the journey shall be enriching and full of learning. With each season of honest work, a new element of nature will awaken and increase the speed of food forest formation.
B. If you have an Organic certified farm:
If you own a land and have Organic Certifications, please note that we still shall use Aranyaani Index to assess.
Most (not all) such Organic certifications do not qualify as food forests. These are developed in Western countries for their specific needs and limited understanding, but India’s weather and bio-diversity are best understood in our food forests.
All our food products are Organic, BUT most Organic products in the market are not forest foods. Organic systems are typically neither closed loop, nor regenerative or Self-sustainable. An Organic food is a short term solution to pesticide free food, but it still involves other harmful practices like Tilling the earth, Destruction of water channels and biomass, wastage (and destructive use) of sunlight and usage of Genetically modified species of plants. For example, a mono-crop orchard of G.M. Pomegranates can not sustain Honey Bees and Earthworms around it. An ecosystem needs flowers and leaves and roots of different sizes and shapes and a certain active part during each season. Absence of that leads to sub optimal fruits without the essence of nature. Yet Organic style is a few steps better than pesticide ridden foods, but does not come close to what the nature gifts when allowed to fully build itself.
C. If you do not have land:
If you want to buy a farm land so that we develop food forest, please note that we do not have any land buying expertise or agency.
Only for MP and in areas where we work, many of the existing land owners have acquired land with the help of brokers. For connecting to them, please contact our partner company Big India Farms: www.bigindiafarms.com.