Initiatives
Bhumi Vardaan
The Prince launched the Bhumi Vardaan Foundation during a visit to India in March 2006, to promote sustainable agriculture in the Punjab and help to ensure a viable way of life on the land not only for today’s farmers but for future generations.
The Prince was concerned about the high levels of suicides among landowners in the region after a downward spiral of debt, declining incomes and increased infertility of the land.
The Foundation is aimed at boosting the profile of organic farming in the Punjab, known as the bread basket of India, and helping farmers see the long-term benefits of sustainable agriculture.
At the launch of the Bhumi Vardaan Foundation, The Prince said: “Bhumi Vardaan will, I hope, demonstrate it is possible to farm in ways which respect the environment and generate decent returns.
”My own experience in the United Kingdom, both through my farming activities and through my organic food company, Duchy Originals, have convinced me that natural farming, with its crucial emphasis on the health of the soil, is a genuine alternative, with real commercial opportunities for farmers.