Isha’s Save Soil Movement, launched by Sadhguru to address the looming soil degradation, organised a grand Banana Festival cum workshop titled ‘Banana that Sustains Life’ on November 24th at Scott Christian College, Cheranmahadevi, in Tirunelveli District. Participating as the guest of honour, ICAR-NRCB Director Selvarajan applauded Sadhguru, stating, “Sadhguru has travelled across the globe, advocating for the conservation of soil and emphasizing that soil is our life. He has raised awareness about the critical importance of preserving soil fertility at the UN and in many countries worldwide.”
Speaking about the festival’s objective, Save Soil Project Coordinator, Swami Srimukha, said, “Banana farming is a predominant agricultural activity in Tirunelveli and its surrounding areas. Many farmers assume that banana farming is limited to crop cultivation alone. However, every part of the banana plant can be value-added. By utilising this potential, even small farmers can become entrepreneurs. This seminar aims to educate farmers on techniques and strategies to achieve this.”
“Farmers attending Isha’s programs participate with a genuine eagerness to learn. We are grateful to Isha for organising such seminars that bring together and educate farmers,” expressed ICAR-NRCB Director Thiru Selvarajan during his address.
“India leads the world in banana production, cultivating 1 million hectares to produce 37 million tons annually. However, we export only 300,000 tons. There’s tremendous potential for value addition. For example, one acre of Poovan banana stems can yield 20,000 litres of juice. Selling the juice at Rs 25 per 200ml could generate revenue of Rs 25 lakh. This juice, with a shelf life of six months, also helps in reducing kidney stones. Similarly, banana flowers, raw bananas, and other parts can also be value-added profitably,” he elaborated further.
Pioneer farmer Shyamala Gunasekaran describing her success story said, “No business sells its products at a loss—only farmers do so. This must change. I began value-adding banana-based products and selling them. Wealth is lying untapped on our farms. Extracting arugampul (Bermuda grass) juice fetches money, making soap from waste materials generates income, and even coconut trees once leased for Rs 5,000 now help produce Rs 800 soaps from just one litre of coconut oil.”
Banana entrepreneurs like Thiru S.K. Babu, Thiru Raja, Thiru Ajithan, Thiru Jamin Prabhu, and pioneer farmer Thiru Shanmugasundaram also participated, sharing their experiences and success stories. Additionally, scientists from the National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), including Karpagam, Thiru Sureshkumar, Thiru Jayabaskaran, and Thiru G. Prabhu, discussed various topics such as NRCB’s services, government schemes, banana varieties, post-harvest technologies, and export opportunities for value-added banana products.
A key highlight of the seminar was the exhibition and sale of over 50 value-added banana-based food products and more than 150 banana fibre handicrafts. Additionally, millet and other organic farming produce were also showcased and sold. The event concluded with the presentation of “Best Banana Farmer” awards to banana farmers and entrepreneurs for their exemplary contributions.
Launched by Sadhguru, The Conscious Planet – Save Soil movement - aims to bring attention to the catastrophic soil degradation facing humanity, and initiate and support government policy change in all 193 nations to revitalise soil. The Movement has already demonstrated significant success through initiatives like Cauvery Calling, which has helped over 2,29,000 farmers shift to tree-based agriculture, boosting their incomes by 3 to 8 times. Additionally, the Save Soil Movement has trained 27,000 farmers in regenerative farming practices.
