In response to increasing desertification in Tamil Nadu, southern India, an innovative project is working with communities to bring tree-based agriculture back to the heart of rural Indian culture.

The region is “faced with the collective challenges of climate change, financial instability, energy, water and soil scarcity, poverty, malnutrition and ever-increasing numbers of environmental refugees,” says an article on the website, Resurgence and Ecologist.

Through Project GreenHands, over a million volunteers have planted 7.1 million indigenous trees in Tamil Nadu over the past 4 years. Not only is the tree planting aimed at increasing the state’s tree cover, it provides access to fresh fruits that can reverse malnutrition, medicines, shade, fodder for cattle, green manure for fields, fuels and fencing.

“The consequent increased self-sufficiency keeps more money in the local communities, thereby reducing poverty and urban migration and rebuilding communities around a new vision of environmental abundance.”

Through the project, communities have received training about the multiple benefits of trees and those who pledge to care for the trees for 2 years are given free seedlings.

Villagers are now managing their own tree nurseries and working with forestry experts to determine areas with potential for agroforestry.

Read the full story: Project Greenhands