Situation

Rajnagar is situated in an agricultural region, in the northern part of the Deccan plateau; it is part of the historical Bundelkhand.

Bundelkhand. From times gone, this was a savage, forested region. Only in the late 19th century, and due to the British influence, the commercial over-exploitation of timber led to a light desertification of the landscape.

Because of being a rather inhospitable and neglected agricultural region, Rajnagar has mostly escaped the “Green Revolution” of the 1950s (this is: the introduction of chemical fertilizers and pesticides). Nevertheless, the larger part of the farmers grows cash crops for the national market.

But here and there, a self-sustainable, autonomous farm still is to be found. This offered the possibility to tie in with the sustainable traditional agriculture.

This offered the possibility to tie in with the sustainable traditional agriculture. The restoration of the Royal Gardens also implies to use these gardens as training centers for the local farmers in the principles of conservation agriculture and agro-forestry (in close collaboration with Gandhi Ashram).