Eco-Development Conservation Volunteering in India

Our Conservation & Environment project in India takes place at the Green Village Model Farm. The farm is based in a small village in Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu. This is primarily an agro-based district where 70% of the population earns their livelihood directly or indirectly through agriculture.

This Eco-development Project is a programme funded by Projects Abroad and is designed to give our volunteers the chance to learn from expert staff about sustainable, organic farming techniques.

Through research and practical demonstrations, volunteers and staff help to teach the local people about environmentally-friendly ways to farm. The project also promotes environmental conservation in and around South Indian villages.

This project is perfect for anyone looking for a practical way to help the environment. It offers you the chance to take part in hands-on work and really make a difference in local communities. You do not need previous experience to take part in this project. Volunteers are welcome on a gap year, a career break, for university research, or as part of a summer holiday.

Here you will find answers to the following questions:

• What is my role on this Conservation & Environment project?
• What are the aims of this Conservation & Environment project?
• Where will I live on this project?

What is my role on this Conservation & Environment project?

Volunteers on this project can take part in a wide variety of activities, such as:

• Learning about sustainable development and organic farming, including:
• How to produce vermi-compost fertilizer.
• The different medicinal properties of herbs and plants.
• The advantages of natural or ‘do nothing’ farming.
• Taking part in physical work on the farm including tree planting, cultivating vegetables, cereals and herbs and tending to livestock.
• Demonstrating different farming techniques and technologies to local villagers.
• Helping local people to implement new farming techniques in their communities and thereby helping them to cut down their expenses.
• Visiting local markets to promote sustainable farming methods to Indian farmers.
• Helping to run an environmental education programme in local schools.
• Maintaining the local native plants nursery on the farm.
• Reducing the carbon footprint by maintaining reforestation belts around the farm and promoting Agro-forestry.

Usually, the day’s work at the model farm starts at 6.45am in the morning and is finished by around 4.30pm with appropriate breaks for breakfast and lunch.

Our Projects Abroad placement supervisor and conservation expert, Raisa, is based at the Model Farm full time and will train you in the different work and techniques when you first arrive. She's always available to offer help and advice.

What are the aims of this Conservation & Environment project?

The Eco-development Project began in 2001 as a tree-planting exercise in a remote village at the foot of the Western Ghat Mountains. The project was moved to nearby Madurai in January 2011 to a more agricultural area of Tamil Nadu and expanded to include the promotion of many environmentally-friendly farming practices and environmental education.

Until recently, people in rural Tamil Nadu lived much the same way as their ancestors; farming the land with simple tools, collecting firewood from the forests and discarding their waste on any available land.

In the past this hasn't caused any great problems, but damage to the natural surroundings is now occurring because of the rapidly increasing population, the introduction of environmentally-damaging products - like plastics and chemical pesticides - and with greater levels of trade demanding higher productivity. These changes - coupled with a lack of education and awareness of the problems - mean that farming in India is suffering considerably.

Our aim is to slowly but surely reverse this trend and help more local people to take up environmentally-friendly farming methods and improve the local bio-diversity.

Where will I live on this project?

On this project you will stay in guesthouse accommodation in the village of Chinnupatti with other Conservation volunteers. Meals are arranged close by with a local host family.

In the evenings you can play cricket with the local children, or take time to relax after a hard day's work. At weekends you can meet up with the other volunteers based in India on our twice-monthly social events, or travel and explore the area with new Indian friends or some of the other volunteers on the project.

This project is available for two weeks if you don't have time to join us for a month or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for short term volunteering for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain a valuable cultural insight and work within the local area please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone volunteering for a longer period.