Natural Farming
Code: 2372993817fd4d0bbfaaf9fbb2430272 Copied
About the project
Natural Farming
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Rural Centre for Human Interests (RUCHI) is a community development organization with ever increasing focus on youth development and intercultural learning through voluntary service. RUCHI got registered in 1983, under Indian Societies Registration Act as a non-political, nonprofit making voluntary organization. RUCHI was established keeping in mind the problems and restrictions that a remote community faces on day to day basis. These could be due to poverty, lack of knowledge, poor infrastructure or at times difficult terrain. As a result RUCHI has always implemented its project with people centered approach and gave priority to community development. With 37 years in this field, RUCHI has accumulated extensive knowledge in community development with project area ranging from semi-urban background to extremely remote communities requiring two days of walk certain time of the year. Over time RUCHI has also developed and successfully implemented low cost technologies. We are now acting as a resource organization for Indian Government and other NGO’s pursuing community development.
💼 What the programme involves
RUCHI campus is spread over an area of 3 hectares and has good fertile soil. We at present are using our campus for exploring options of pesticide free scientific farming using natural materials. We have successfully demonstrated, Wormicompost, NADEP compost, Kitchen Gardening, Agroforestry, floriculture, organic farming, orchard development here. At present we are gearing to install hydroponics system at our campus for demonstration, training and self sufficiency. In due course we would like to serve as demonstration centre for farmers.
With this initiative we aim to educate and train farmers in nearby communities by acting as a resource and demonstration centre for sharing good practices among farmers. Our focus is to encourage farmers to reduce usage of chemical fertilizers and still increase their agriculture income & output.
Below are the few tasks which could be undertaken by volunteers to assist us:
• Assist our agriculture team in daily maintenance of farm and produce pesticide and chemical free products.
• Actively assist our team to realise our dream to be self sufficient by producing majority of fruits, vegetable that we consume.
• Introduce or reinforce good farming practices and grow off season and les water consuming vegetable.
• Assist in networking of farmers so they can connect and share technical know how.
🏠 Accommodation on site
🍲 Food
Food: Food offered will be simple authentic Indian vegetarian and freshly cooked. Three meals a day will be served. Assistance while cooking is desired and self cooking can be organized by volunteers.
📍 About the location
Entire area is scenic and peaceful. Population is sparse and villages are small. Baddi is the closeby largest industrial area of the state and has 7 major slums for industrial workers and rag pickers.
Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous area where people are highly dependent on agriculture to complement their living in addition to their daily work. However, due to shortage of water and small terraces on sloppy land the agriculture is unsustainable and farm output is not sufficient keeping in mind economic value it gets. Also due to steep terrain and small terraces automated machines have limited usage here. As a result we fear food security in the future as many people are or about to leave agriculture.
🎒 Leisure activities
Self organized city tours and excursions. Old Sikh and Hindu temples in the near vicinity can be visited. Nearby Chandigarh city with internationally known Rock Garden is a tourist attraction. A visit to Shimla will offer an opportunity to see high Himalayan Mountains.
⚠️ Requirements
• Volunteers will have to follow the organization rules and culture and work with other staff as a team.
• No special skills are required, except dedication and commitment to a social cause to help rural communities.
• Volunteers have to be 18 years or older, bearing good moral character and respect local as well other culture.
• Alcohol drinking and smoking is not encouraged in public and villages.
• Living conditions will be simple. Volunteers must be prepared to live in harmony with others and work as a team.
• Medical/Personal Insurance is the responsibility of the volunteers themselves.
ℹ️ Additional information
Our LMTV projects are ongoing and are executed across North. India. We accept volunteers each month (preferably 1st Monday) check dates when applying. Volunteers can stay as long as they want up to a maximum of one year. The minimum period of staying is One Month.
PARTICIPATION FEE: The participation fees are as follows: Per month - Euro 400/- (Fee has to be paid in advance. The fee is worked out on monthly basis and not daily or weekly basis and hence it remains same even if one leaves the project a day or week earlier)
The participants are required to pay the fee in cash on the first day of their arrival at site, Bank transfer service & transferwise details available upon request. The contribution covers all basic expenses, e.g. accommodation, gas, water, electricity, food, staff salaries and for materials used in projects/activities.
Project related travel expenses shall be reimbursed to volunteer each month with a maximum cap of rupees 800. Leisure travel and personal expenses during free time are not covered in participation fee.
Why the extra fee?
RUCHI, like other NGO’s in India, is not financially supported by government to host projects related to IVS. Hence all projects are self funded with a participation fee. Given the remote location and various complexities we have tried our best to make it as affordable as possible for volunteers. International travel costs to annual global conferences and membership fee for networking.
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📅 Available sessions
RC-MTV-AGR-08/21
01/07/2021 → 31/12/2024
RC-MTV-AGR-08/23
01/01/2023 → 31/12/2024
RC-MTV-AGR-08/20
01/01/2020 → 31/12/2023
RC-MTV-AGR-08/21AUTO-EXT
01/01/2025 → 03/07/2028
RC-05/24
15/07/2024 → 27/07/2024
RC-MTV-AGR-08/22
01/01/2022 → 31/12/2022
RC-15/24
09/12/2024 → 21/12/2024
RC-MTV-AGR-8/24
01/01/2024 → 31/12/2024
ℹ️ Key information
Age required
18–75 years old
Solidarity donation
400.00 EUR
French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).
📍 Location
Patta, Himachal Pradesh 173206, India
India
🌍 Location info
Local currency
India Rupee (INR / ₹)
Exchange rate
1 INR = 0.009550 EUR
Rate as of 31/05/2026
Timezone
India Standard Time
Local time: 21:00 (12/11/2026)
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🏠 Accommodation
🗣️ Languages spoken