Bringing Back Forests and Farms in Tamil Nadu, India
- Nature Conservation
- Wildlands
- Ecosystem Restoration
- Women
- Forests
- Community Action
- Education & Awareness
- Indian Subcontinent
- Indomalaya Realm
- Daughters for Earth
| Bioregion | Greater Deccan-Sri Lankan Forests & Drylands (IM8) |
| Category | Nature Conservation Our project categories represent one of three core solutions pathways to solving climate change. Energy Transition focuses on renewable energy access and energy efficiency. Nature Conservation includes wildlife habitat protection and ecosystem restoration, as well as Indigenous land rights. Regenerative Agriculture supports farmers, ranchers, and community agriculture. |
| Realm | Indomalaya The Project Marketplace is organized by the major terrestrial realms divided into 14 biogeographical regions – N. America, Subarctic America, C. America, S. America, Afrotropics, Indomalaya, Australasia, Oceania, Antarctica, and the Palearctic realm, which coincides with Eurasia and is divided into Subarctic, Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern regions. |
| Status | active Seed indicates an early stage project that needs some level of support to develop into a larger funding proposal. Active indicates any project that needs core programmatic funding. Urgent indicates a short-term project initiated in response to a natural disaster or other impending risk. |
| Partner | Green Sakthi |
The One Earth’s Project Marketplace funds on-the-ground climate solutions that are key to solving the climate crisis through three pillars of collective action — renewable energy, nature conservation, and regenerative agriculture. This project restores local forests and promotes sustainable farming practices.
In 1998, when Green Sakthi was established, the land around the rural village of Thirumalaikodi in Tamil Nadu was arid and neglected, with a lack of trees causing excessive surface heat and compact soil, making it difficult to cultivate.
Sakthi (pronounced shakti), which means feminine energy or power in Sanskrit, has been restoring forests and farms in India for the past 25 years. This project aims to increase forest cover for biodiversity to thrive and provide local communities with nutritious food and livelihoods through tree planting.
Image credit: Courtesy of Green Sakthi
Scaling and spreading sustainable agriculture
Supporting this project will help maintain the tree nursery and reforestation efforts across Tamil Nadu, and assist Green Sakthi in achieving several ambitious goals, including increasing the ratio of women employed to 75% and expanding their team from 65 to 102 people to grow 100,000 fruit saplings for local farmers.
Green Sakthi also plans to support 50-100 farmers through a Fruit Trees Multi-Cropping program, promoting sustainable agriculture and providing economic opportunities for growers.
Image credit: Courtesy of Green Sakthi
Improving livelihoods and life in the forest
Tree planting will improve the local ecosystem by increasing bird and wildlife diversity, providing more shade, cooler climates, a higher water table, and improved soil quality. This will lead to a more stable local economy, quantifiable improvements in people's health, and empower farmers, women, and children.
The planting of trees will also benefit the planet as a whole by reducing CO2 emissions and providing cleaner air. Green Sakthi aims to reduce carbon by up to 1,800 tons through their restoration efforts.
Image credit: Courtesy of Green Sakthi
Part of the vision to plant five million trees
Through Green Sakthi’s partnership with the Government of Tamil Nadu Forestry Department, this project is part of the long-term vision to reforest land across the state and green all villages throughout the Vellore district with fruit, flowering, and shade trees.
It exists under the 5 Million Trees Program umbrella, which aims to plant five million trees in the Tamil Nadu region of South India.
One tree at a time, the immediate project and its broader goal help connect local communities to the land and heal the Earth.