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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Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
