Right from the beginning of our work, our concept has been to create several sites for researching, working, and learning that would collaborate and form a network. In addition to Shikha Eco-Learning-Village and the nearby agroforestry experimental site, both in western Odisha, we now have the chance to work at another site, at Somwadi in Maharashtra between Mumbai and Pune.
Several of us undertook an exploratory trip to the 5-acre site, including members of the International Board Meher Dadabhoy and Capt. Afzal Amdani, collaborating architect Uday Goswami, and Shikha Eco-Village developer Sibaji Panda. Let’s hope that the site will be transformed into a proper oasis over time. The surrounding area is really beautiful, with a lake on the one side, and a chain of hills on the other side.
As a result of our on-site discussions, next steps for development will include organising a constant water supply and planting local species of trees. On the way back, we visited a plant nursery and bought some new fruit trees to bring back to Odisha – Water Apple, Singapore Cherry, and Egg Fruit.
Somwadi – view of the site
Uday discussing the site map
Planning meeting with the team and local experts
Group photo after the days’ work
Fruit trees at the nursery in Somwadi