Description

Plant the seeds for a sustainable environment in India!

India is a great place to volunteer and learn about sustainable farming techniques and environmental issues while working on our Model Far. From the jungle-covered Western Ghat Mountains to the sun-baked planes of Tamil Nadu and the coastal mangroves beyond, South India is a region of enormous environmental diversity. However, as in so many parts of the world, that rich diversity is threatened by the activities of man.

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 hadn'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 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.

The Eco-Development Project is a program, funded by Projects Abroad, aimed at promoting sustainable farming and environmental conservation in and around South Indian villages. At the heart of this project is the Model Farm, a demonstration site for many of the sustainable practices that we promote.

Volunteers are totally responsible for the running and maintenance of the Model Farm site. Villagers from the surrounding area visit the farm to learn about the different techniques and technologies that can benefit them. After working with villagers at the farm, our volunteers then assist them in implementing the ideas in their communities.

You'll learn all about sustainable development and organic practices, including how to produce 'vermi-compost' a natural fertilizer produced from domestic and farm waste, made using earthworms. Once a week volunteers visit the nearby town of Rajapalayam to sell the vermi-compost at the local market.

There is also a large medicinal plants nursery where you might help to cultivate indigenous species that are used to treat a variety of common ailments. We are increasing the number of botanical species and introducing other endangered plants to the collection.

In Tamil Nadu, you might also spend time planting and looking after trees. We are replanting areas that have suffered deforestation in the past, using species carefully chosen to provide benefit to local communities.

Highlights

India is a truly amazing place - spectacular scenery, quaint villages, fascinating and magnificent temples, sandy beaches and lots of sun. It has all this and an ancient culture. For the vast majority of visitors, it is a place they long to return to again and again.

To live in India is to participate in a lifestyle that is unlike anything you'll experience in the West. The most mundane tasks often become adventures. Everything is colorful and nothing is predictable. Life - especially in urban areas - is truly chaotic. The sights, sounds and smells that greet you in each new place will overwhelm your senses.

Qualifications

No experience or qualifications are necessary.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

Please go to our website for prices.

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Travel while in host country
• Written materials pre-departure
• Written materials abroad

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Open-minded with a desire to travel.

Age Range

16-70

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

10 days

Post Services Include

• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement

As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded

1992