Fertile Ground in Assam - 2011.wmv

This year, Fertile Ground's group of volunteers participated in a wide range of activities during their stay in Assam, India. While our organization's primary goal is to promote eco-friendly agricultural practices, we're also keenly interested in providing opportunities for people to learn about and celebrate the diversity and richness of our various cultures. In the remote northeast corner of the state, we created a new demonstration garden where people are learning to produce compost, grow green manure crops and create permanent raised beds. These practices will help villagers living in and around Ambikapur village improve sandy soil conditions and make good use of locally available materials. With the support of Rotary Clubs in District 5020, World Community Development Education Society, individual donors and a group of enthusiastic volunteers, we were able to provide school supplies and construct latrines, swing sets and teeter totters. In Jorhat district, we connected with our partner organization, Prakriti-Save Nature, whose members are teaching school children, families, farmers and tea growers how to produce compost, vermicompost and compost "teas." And we spent time with a number of tea growers and farming families in Bodoland. Fertile Ground is looking for knowledgeable and enthusiastic organic growers interested in spending 6 to 8 weeks in the state of Assam in northeast India. Volunteers would work with our partners in several parts of the state, connecting with farmers, tea growers and farming families who want to continue following traditional farming practices and are also interested in learning more about growing organically. These images were taken in the 4 regions of Assam where Fertile Ground, has projects underway. They include: - the Adarsh Seuj Prakalpa organic demonstration garden and training centre in Digboi, and our partners at Digboi Rotary Club, - the new demo garden in Ambikapur village (adjacent to a community centre developed by NEADS -North East Affected Area Development Society), - schools and villages near Jorhat where our colleagues at Prakriti-Save Nature are working, and - two villages in the Bodo Autonomous Region, close to the Bhutan border. For more information about our organization, to make a donation or to find out how you can get involved, visit www.fertile-ground.org