Shubham Dipak Gurav
←Bridge the Gap — Healthy Cities
Climate Resilient Agriculture Initiative, Integrating Agroforestry and Natural Farming
Peth, Bubnal, Mangle and Kuslewadi, Sangli district · Maharashtra · January to March 2026
Four Natural Farming Schools in four Sangli villages. Jeevamrut, beejamrut, agniastra and neemastra made in the yard, in drums the farmers keep. A hundred and fifty people, six workshops, and a WhatsApp group that outlasted the project.
150+
People engaged
January to March 2026
6
Workshops and events
January to March 2026
4
Villages with a Natural Farming School
January to March 2026
30+
Households reached
January to March 2026
The work
Make the inputs on the farm
Jeevamrut, beejamrut, agniastra, neemastra. Demonstrated, then handed over with the drums to prepare them in, because a recipe without a container is a lecture.
Farmer teaches farmer
Training, field visits and peer learning across four villages, with a WhatsApp group so a question at six in the morning gets answered by somebody nearby.
Show the money too
A day on organic jaggery and the economics of natural sugarcane. A practice that costs a season of yield does not survive the season.
Start with the soil
Mulching, cover crops and jeevamrut aimed at moisture retention first. Everything else on a rain-fed smallholding follows from whether the soil holds water.
- Ran Natural Farming Schools in Peth, Bubnal, Mangle and Kuslewadi
- Demonstrated jeevamrut, beejamrut, agniastra and neemastra, and distributed drums and containers to prepare them in
- Held a one-day workshop on organic jaggery and the economics of natural sugarcane
- Ran Soil School activities with village schoolchildren
- Set up sticky traps for preventive pest management and demonstrated food forest and integrated farming plots
- Kept a farmer WhatsApp group running for follow-up questions
- Gram Panchayats of Kuslewadi, Mangle and Peth
- YFN India Foundation
- National Youth Climate Consortium
- Maharashtra Agriculture Department
- Golden Era Eco Services
- Krushi Vikas Mandal Bubnal
What people said
Anil Kirpale
“Through this project, I learned how to prepare and use natural inputs like jeevamrut and neemastra. Earlier, I depended on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, but now I see improvement in soil moisture and reduced pest problems. This approach is low-cost and practical for small farmers like me.”
Farmer · Bubnal
Shrikar Gevari
“The Natural Farming School helped me understand how to use local resources for farming. I am now actively involved in preparing natural inputs and using mulching in my field. It has reduced my input costs and improved soil condition. I feel more confident to continue these practices.”
Farmer · Mangle village
Sagar Shelar
“Participating in this project and Soil School activities helped me understand the importance of soil and sustainable agriculture. This experience motivated me to stay connected with agriculture and environmental work.”
Student, 4th standard · Peth village
The rest of the cohort
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Bharuch · Gujarat
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Mahuva, Dabhoi and Viramgam · Gujarat
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Paradox Bio-Energy
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Jhala, Harsil Valley and Saini, Dunda block, Uttarkashi · Uttarakhand
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Women-Led Sustainable Mushroom Cultivation for Nutrition and Livelihood in Rural Uttarkashi
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Bilaspur · Chhattisgarh
Swapnil Chaurasiya
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Taniya Gill
Rooted in Our Land: A Visual Toolkit on Native Plants and Climate Adaptation
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Salmora and Karatipar, Majuli · Assam
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Indigenous Youth Led Habitat Restoration for Climate Resilience in Majuli
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Moradabad · Uttar Pradesh
Tawheed Zubair
ECONOVA (For Nature, For People)