PROJECTS | India | Nilaitha Velaan Kuzhumam

In 1989, ICT India began its first environmental project, Sevugampatti Village Project (SEV), in Tamil Nadu, South India. During the SEV project, several hundred acres of land owned by small farmers were planted with trees that they now use to produce sustainable income. When the Sevungampatti project was completed, ICT SEEDS went on to share its environmental project expertise by initiating 'Nilaitha Velaan Kuzhumam' (NVK) or Sustainable Agriculture Group Project.

Organic Farming

NVK is based in Silvarpatti village and is an organic farming project that will utilise and expand the capacity of 30 existing Southern Indian NGOs to deliver participatory agricultural development, through training and small loans schemes, to 150 villages. NVK has adopted a 'back to basics' approach which advocates and practices soil and water conservation principles which reduce the farmers' reliance on artificial fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides, which are expensive and often environmentally harmful.

Future Potential

We have been able to build the capacity of the project by obtaining an ongoing grant that goes directly to the project. We have sought out further support, but have yet to obtain significant enough support to develop NVK to its full potential. We will continue to try to obtain funding for NVK, so that it is able to develop to its full potential.