Isha Outreach

• The organization has rich experience /in planning and delivering large-scale environmental and social projects. Its projects include some of the largest ecological movements in the world, which have reached over 4.1 billion people.
• The organization’s projects include and work with all stakeholders, from central & state governments to local village bodies and panchayats, from farmers, businesses and academia, to influencers and other NGOs. This allows project implementation to progress quickly without obstacles.
• The organization has extensive experience in bringing broad-based support to its projects. Several projects are actively under implementation in collaboration with various state governments. The organization’s policy proposals for river revitalization have also been circulated by the central government to all states in India, as a blueprint for river revitalization.
• Isha is accepted as a subject expert in several domains by international bodies such as the United Nations and World Economic Forum – which reflects in its accreditation by the UNCCD, membership with the IUCN, partnerships with UN Environment and UNESCO, and special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
• Isha’s efforts to raise human consciousness help equip individuals with mental and physical wellbeing through Yogic tools that bring inner balance and clarity (including rural Yoga programs, and free Yoga programs conducted online during the pandemic). By creating the right atmosphere within the individual, these tools form a basis upon which all other Isha Outreach projects can flourish. Over 65 million people have directly benefited from the various Yogic tools offered, such as free guided meditations, simple and free Upa-Yoga practices, and advanced Yoga programs. This includes people from all sections of society such as students, rural people, prison inmates and municipal workers.

1. Cauvery Calling

Cauvery Calling is the world's largest farmer-driven ecological movement. It empowers farmers to shift toward agroforestry on their private farmlands, thereby improving their income by 300-800%, increasing soil organic content, enhancing groundwater recharge, and contributing significantly to carbon sequestration.

 Activities:

•         Awareness and Education: Building farmer and public awareness about tree-based agriculture.
•        Sapling Production and Distribution: Facilitating access to high-quality saplings at a token cost and supporting farmers during planting.
•        Continuous Farmer Support: Providing ongoing technical assistance through farm consultancy, a dedicated farmer helpline, and digital educational resources.

Our larger goal is to enable 52 Lakh farmers to plant 242 crore trees in the Cauvery River Basin. By shifting the farmers to tree-based agriculture, it seeks to bring one-third of the basin under tree cover. In FY 2025-26, we aim to support the planting of 1.21 cr trees.

2. Save Soil Regenerative Revolution (SS RR)

 SS RR aims to mainstream regenerative agriculture in Tamil Nadu by training and supporting farmers in practices that improve soil health, farm economics, and revive traditional knowledge.

 Activities:

• Conducting training programs, operating model farms for demonstration, providing handholding support via various channels, building farmer networks, creating educational content, and facilitating market access.

 Over 21,000 unique farmers trained. FY 2025-26 objectives include training 9000+ more farmers and supporting 3000+ in transitioning to regenerative agriculture, aiming for improved soil fertility, enhanced farmer incomes, and wider adoption of sustainable practices."

               3.  ARR Health : 

ARR Health provides accessible and affordable healthcare to rural communities through Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs) for remote areas and Isha Rural Health Clinics (IRHCs) for centralized care, complemented by health awareness camps.

 Activities: Regular village visits by MHCs offering free primary care, operating IRHCs with doctors and diagnostics, and conducting health awareness and medical camps focusing on general, eye, and dental health.

 Over 4.53 million people served by MHCs and 536,000+ patients treated at IRHCs since inception. Aims for FY 2025-26 include reaching 80,000 people in 263 villages and conducting over 90 health camps benefiting 19,000 people.

4. Farmer Producer Organization (FPO)

 FPO empowers small and marginal farmers through collectivization, technical support, and market linkages. It has established 24 FPOs across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, supporting over 10,000 farmers across 40,000 acres.

 Activities: Providing mobile field support, technical and business expertise, capacity building through training, operating a central knowledge hub, and real-time monitoring. Each FPO is farmer-owned and governed.

 It aims to scale and sustain 24 FPOs, enhance farmer incomes through better market access and practices, and promote collective action, ultimately building self-sufficient farmer-led agribusinesses.

5. Gramotsavam:

Gramotsavam is a rural revitalization initiative promoting communal spirit, health, and self-confidence through sports, culture, and community engagement. It culminates in large-scale tournaments showcasing rural talent and traditions.

 Activities: Mobilizing rural communities, providing sports coaching, organizing village to state-level tournaments in various sports, showcasing rural arts and culture, and offering post-event engagement and leadership training.

 In 2024, engaged over 43,000 players from 35,000 villages. Aims to foster physical and mental well-being, promote harmony and gender equality, and reduce social issues by offering recreational and leadership opportunities, ultimately preserving rural culture.