IN THE heart of India's arid Deccan Plateau, Babulal Gandhi has cultivated a remarkable legacy. The 96-year-old farmer has spent more than 50 years to transform his ancestral land—a dry, rocky grassland spread over 48 hectares (ha)—into a thriving forest. The land in Vinchurni village in Maharashtra's drought-prone Satara district is home to four lakes, orchards, grasslands, medicinal plants and rich wildlife.
Gandhi’s journey began in 1951 when he took part in Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan movement, which encouraged landowners to donate a portion of their land to the landless. Inspired by this, he travelled across India, studying agroforestry and sustainable farming practices.
This story is from the November 01, 2024 edition of Down To Earth.
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This story is from the November 01, 2024 edition of Down To Earth.
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A JOKE, INDEED
A CONFERENCE OF IRRESPONSIBLE PARTIES THAT CREATED AN OPTICAL ILLUSION TO THE REALITY OF A NEW CLIMATE
THINGS FALL APART
THE WORLD HAS MADE PROGRESS IN MITIGATING EMISSIONS AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE IMPACTS. BUT THE PROGRESS REMAINS GROSSLY INADEQUATE
VAPOUR ACTION
MOISTURE IS A SILENT FORCE THAT AMPLIFIES GLOBAL WARMING. YET SCIENTISTS UNDERSTAND LITTLE ABOUT THIS GREENHOUSE GAS AND HOW IT INFLUENCES WEATHER SYSTEMS
OPEN AND SHUT CASE
2024 WITNESSED A RECORD NUMBER OF ATTRIBUTION STUDIES THAT SHOW CLIMATE CHANGE AS THE KEY FACTOR BEHIND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
TEST OF SURVIVAL
GENERATION ALPHA INHERITS A WORLD IRREVOCABLY WARMER BY 1.5°C
THE YEAR PLANET CHANGED
WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN THE AGE OF CLIMATE EXTREMES. WE ARE NOT IN DENIAL. BUT WE ARE NO LONGER THE SOCIETIES THAT WORK FOR COMMON CAUSES
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
