BENGALURU, 5th June 2025: On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Cauvery Calling movement reported that 2.38 lakh farmers have adopted tree-based agriculture as part of its ongoing ecological restoration efforts. The initiative, envisioned by Sadhguru, has so far facilitated the plantation of 12.2 crore saplings across the Cauvery basin.
During the 2024–25 period alone, 1.36 crore saplings were planted across 34,000 acres. The past year saw active participation from 50,931 farmers and citizens, according to an official update released by the movement.
Speaking on the progress, Anand Ethirajalu, Project Director of Cauvery Calling and representative of the Save Soil movement, stressed the need for increased global investment in agriculture and soil regeneration. “Less than 4 percent of the global climate finance is reaching agriculture and food systems,” he noted, referring to discussions at the recent COP29 (UNFCCC) and COP16 (UNCCD) summits.
The movement relies heavily on large-scale sapling production to meet its annual goals. One of the major hubs, the Cuddalore nursery—claimed to be one of the world’s largest single-site nurseries run entirely by women—has the capacity to produce 85 lakh saplings annually. Alongside the Thiruvannamalai nursery, which produces 15 lakh saplings, these centres support 40 distribution points in Tamil Nadu and 9–10 centres in Karnataka.
The Sadhguru Sannidhi nursery in Bengaluru, launched in December 2023, has enabled the plantation of over 1.3 lakh saplings, surpassing the one lakh mark within six months of operation.
The initiative provides 29 varieties of high-value timber species, including Teak, Red Sandalwood, Rosewood, and Mahogany, available to farmers at a subsidized rate of ₹3 per sapling.
In addition to sapling distribution, Cauvery Calling deployed 160 field executives who visited more than 32,000 farmlands, offering guidance on appropriate tree species based on local soil, water, and climate conditions. Furthermore, over 52,000 farmers receive ongoing support through more than 225 WhatsApp groups for real-time advice and expert consultation.
The movement also conducted training programs for 8,721 farmers through two mega training events and six zonal sessions in 2024. It organized 506 plantation events on key environmental dates, including World Environment Day and Van Mahotsav Week, resulting in the plantation of 10 lakh saplings.
Cauvery Calling aims to plant 242 crore trees on private farmland to rejuvenate the Cauvery River and promote sustainable agriculture in southern India.
By Amit Singh