TEFF to Promote Rural Sustainability through Knowledge Mobile Centre

Pune-based The Eco Factory Foundation (TEFF), a non-governmental organization, has created a one-of-a-kind knowledge mobile centre called Shashwat Bharat Krush Rath (SBKR) to educate rural people, particularly those involved in agriculture, about the importance of sustainable farming.

"The mobile centre will serve as an excellence centre for rural sustenance and waste management." It will promote a grower-based ecosystem and demonstrate multiple sustainable global farming systems," said Anand Chordia, TEFF's founder.

This mobile centre is the first of its kind, and it is aimed at farmers, farm households, agri/eco-entrepreneurs, self-help groups, students and professors, and those interested in sustainability.

"TEFF is working on a long-term solution." We are developing a sustainable farming and rural entrepreneurship programme based on farm-related businesses. There are eight distinct natural and organic farming methods. "These farming practices will be showcased in the SBKR," said Chordia, who is also the director of species firm Pravin Masalewale and Suhana Masale.

"We will teach farmers about value addition." We have already trained 20,000 farmers, and the mobile centre is making its rounds in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. We intend to launch SBKR in another six to eight states, including Karnataka, Telangana, and Gujarat, to educate farmers about the importance of sustainability," he said.

Sustainability is a way of thinking about the future that balances environmental, societal, and economic concerns in the pursuit of a higher quality of life. The goal of TEFF was to make a difference in people's lives across the country by improving their quality of life through sustainability.

Another novel initiative is TEFF's distribution of mango seeds that are discarded as waste by pickle manufacturers. "In Dharwad, Karnataka, we have made arrangements with a pickle manufacturer to supply farmers with raw mango seeds." Growers have experienced success in sowing these seeds, and this is catching up," he said.

TEFF has also started a project to create briquettes from waste that can be used as fuel. TEFF is now focusing on urban areas in order to work on sustainability. "For the country, we want to build a smart and sustainable manufacturing system." We are investigating green energy, waste management, and waste collection. "It is simple to achieve 100% waste management," the NGO's founder stated.

The organization is currently working on an urban garden and farming initiative in which an efficient food forest can be grown on a house balcony. "This will contribute significantly to the reduction of carbon emissions," he said.

TEFF will soon release the first green directory, which will include approximately 200 waste management experts and scientists. They will all be mapped in a one-of-a-kind app that will be made available free of cost, Chordia said.

The Indo-American Chamber has joined it as a knowledge partner in sustainability, and TEFF is collaborating with volunteer organizations to plant native tree breeds. So far, it has converted 60,000 barren lands around Pune by planting 60,000 plants. It intends to launch a similar initiative in Chennai.

TEFF has also launched a programme in Pune to collect plastic waste and deliver it to recycling companies. "The issue is finding an environmentally friendly solution." But it had a positive impact, and we trained 20,000 citizens," he said.

TEFF has been awarded the prestigious Energy Globe National Award, 2020, for "Fostering Sustainable Living" by the Austrian Energy Globe Foundation for its initiatives (National Winners). It has also managed 3,000 tonnes of waste per year and contributed to the creation of good amount of renewable energy. 

According to Chordia, all of TEFF's work is aligned with the National Missions of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan, Land to Lab for Innovative Agri Technologies and Adoption of Natural Farming, and Doubling Farmers Income.