From bewilderment in the face of multiple spiraling crises — ecological, economic, political, socio-cultural, psycho-spiritual, medical — rises a deep yearning for a healing path, that is, a compassionate empowerment in harmony with Nature and fellow humans.

Without doubt, the global environmental and climatic upheavals now demand that the era of relentless over-exploitation of non-renewable fossil resources must soon yield to an age of regenerating our living biological wealth and a culture of nurture, even as we re-examine how to meet our core needs and grow the food we eat.

Bhaskar Save said, “I say with conviction that only by poly-cultural organic farming in harmony with Nature, can India sustainably provide abundant wholesome food and meet every basic need of all — to live in health, dignity and peace.”

Born over a century ago, on 27th January, 1922, Bhaskar Save inspired and mentored three generations of organic farmers. The acclaimed ‘Gandhi of Natural Farming’ — and ‘guru of many current day gurus’ — left his mortal body on 24th October, 2015. But his message of earth care and people care shines brightly as a guiding beacon for humanity to help us tide over our current civilizational mess!

The World Agriculture Report, aka ‘IAASTD Report,’ bluntly concludes, “Business as usual is not an option.” The detailed report was prepared over four years after an in-depth study by 400 agricultural experts and nearly 1,000 multi-disciplinary reviewers from all over the world. Representatives originated from 56 countries, including India, and also the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The report unambiguously recommends that small-scale farmers practicing agroecological, organic methods are the way forward, with Indigenous knowledge playing an important role.

“Cooperation is the fundamental Law of Nature,” declares a sign at the entrance to Bhaskar Save’s orchard-farm. This simple and concise introduction to the philosophy and practice of natural farming is rooted in Save’s deep understanding of the symbiotic relationships in nature. Masanobu Fukuoka, the legendary Japanese natural farmer, visited his farm in 1997, and described it as “the best in the world, even better than my own farm!”

"Cooperation is the fundamental Law of Nature," declares the sign at the entrance to Bhaskar Save’s farm.

Save’s farm, Kalpavruksha — in southernmost coastal Gujarat, a western state in India — is a veritable food forest and a net harvester of water, energy and fertility for the local ecosystem, rather than a net consumer. The farm yield — in all aspects of total quantity, nutritional quality, taste, biological diversity, ecological sustainability, and economic profitability — is superior to any farm using chemicals, while costs (mainly labor for harvesting) are minimal, and external inputs almost zero.

Bhaskar Save with his grandchildren at Kalpavruksha.

In 2010, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) — the global umbrella body of organic farmers and movements — honored Save with the ‘One World Award for Lifetime Achievement.’

Bhaskar Save receives the 'One World Award for Lifetime Achievement' from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) in Germany, 2010.

‘Natural farming’ is a holistic and biodiverse organic farming practice that is in harmony with Nature. In its purest evolved form it is a ‘do-nothing’ path, where nature does everything, or almost everything, and little needs to be done by the farmer. This can best be achieved progressively with tree crops and perennials, especially in tropical climes. Bhaskar Save explains, “When a tree sapling planted by a farmer is still young and tender, it needs some attention, just like a child. But as it matures, it can look after itself, and then it looks after the farmer.” With annual or seasonal field crops, continuing attention and work by the farmer are needed. But even here, the labor and other inputs progressively diminish, while yields improve as the soil regains its health, and symbiotic biodiversity is re-integrated.