National Youth Day was celebrated across BAIF on January 12, 2022, to highlight the significant role of youth in strengthening community development and in nation building. The youth in BAIF’s programmes are functioning as self-employed para-veterinarians, barefoot technicians and community leaders …

A health camp was organised at Garadwadi, Jawhar in Palghar district of Maharashtra on January 6, 2022 under the Prerna Project for Empowering Women Farmers as Change Makers in Agriculture being implemented by Mahindra & Mahindra and BAIF…

To disseminate knowledge, experience and information among participants about schemes of various Government departments and process for registration through the representatives of the Lines Department, Scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Corporates, a Knowledge Sharing Workshop was organized on December 31, 2021 …

Kisan Diwas – National Farmers’ Day is observed every year on December 23 – the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh – former Prime Minister of India and hailed as a champion of farmers. This day which is a day of celebration of the farming community, is also observed…

BAIF Institute for Sustainable Livelihoods and Development, Maharashtra, launched the Holistic Rural Development Programme supported by HDFC Bank Ltd., at Taktoda village, Sengaon in Hingoli district of Maharashtra on December 21, 2021.
The programme covering 11 villages of Hingoli district, included inauguration…

BAIF has taken up various initiatives across India to ensure participatory management and eco restoration of commons / community pasture lands. These efforts have also resulted in rejuvenation of habitats and setting in important ecological processes in these identified landscapes. Development of pastures…

Padma Shri Rahibai Popere and National Genome Saviour Farmer Award recipient Mamta Bhangare from Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, were felicitated by BAIF Development Research Foundation on December 7, 2021 at its Head Office in Pune. It was the BAIF Agrobiodiversity team, who had discovered and nurtured their passion for conservation of indigenous seeds and wild vegetables.
Rahibai from Kombhalne tribal village….

– BAIF’s Unique Approach to Migration free Rehabilitation with Ecological Restoration
Tribal communities in India are characterized by chronic poverty, alienation, lack of choice and absence of hope. Understanding the need to rehabilitate the families in their own environs and acknowledging their affinity towards trees, an innovative ‘Wadi’ programme was evolved by BAIF in 1982, by enabling tribal families to establish fruit orchards on…

Dr. Manibhai Desai – the Founder of BAIF, was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Understanding the challenges of a majority of the rural families who were living in poverty with denuded natural resources, he focussed on promotion of appropriate technologies as a tool for conservation and making optimum use of them to generate sustainable livelihood. He gave priority to improving the progeny of non-descript cows owned by most of these families as a liability…

BAIF is one of the signatories of the ‘4 per 1,000’ multi-country initiative which was launched by the Government of France at the COP21 Paris Climate Summit held in 2015, with direct participation in four Tasks to increase carbon storage in agricultural soils by 0.4% every year to mitigate climate change, increase food security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to ensure highly resilient agriculture through appropriate management of lands and soils to ensure carbon storage.

BAIF is fortunate that its Founder, Late Dr. Manibhai Desai, a staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi, had adopted the basic principles of Gandhian values for rural development and put them into practice through various field programmes. He used to ensure that the programmes benefitted the vulnerable sections of the society through inclusive development. While planning any activity, the first and foremost thought always in his mind was how this activity would be able to…

BAIF Development Research Foundation (BAIF), Pune, organised a webinar on “Native Biodiversity Conservation and Seed Savers” on September 30, 2021. The forum included an in-depth discussion between BAIF’s Agro-Biodiversity Specialist and Senior Thematic Programme Executive, Mr. Sanjay Patil based at Jawhar in Palghar district, who is also a Member of the Management Committee of the National Bureau…

Addressing adverse impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, innovative technologies for human and environmental well-being, creating leadership among women, focus on non-farming communities and carbon positive development, are the strategic directions, stated Mr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee at the 55th Foundation Day of BAIF which is serving 40 lakh families from one lakh villages in 12 states of India.

On August 24, 1967, the Foundation Stone of BAIF was laid at Urulikanchan, near Pune, by the-then President of India, Dr. Zakir Hussain. It took 20 years for Dr. Manibhai Desai, who came to Urulikanchan in 1946 with Mahatma Gandhi, to develop a suitable income generation programme to address rural poverty. With the support of farmer leaders of Maharashtra, Manibhai established a Charitable Trust…

Youth are an important plank of BAIF’s integrated development programme. The local youth have played a significant role in community development through their active participation in various development programmes launched by BAIF in remote villages across the country.

On July 18, 1973, the Foundation Stone of BAIF Central Research Station was laid at Urulikanchan near Pune by Hon’ble Shri. Y.B. Chavan, the-then Union Finance Minister and Chairman of BAIF. In 1971, BAIF had received 200 heifers of Holstein Friesian and Jersey breeds from Denmark which…

A MoU was signed between Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT), Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) and BAIF on 16th July, 2021 in the presence of Dr. Narendra Singh Rathore, Vice Chancellor, MPUAT, Mr. Bharat Kakade, President, BAIF, Ms. Anupam Nidhi, Head – CSR, HZL…

On July 7, 1987, Mrs. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Prime Minister of Norway and Chairperson of the Brundtland Commission, who had come to New Delhi to launch the Report of the Brundtland Commission – “Our Common Future”, took a special flight to Urulikanchan near Pune, to view BAIF’s afforestation programme which was very popular in the country….

June 19, 1996 – The dream of the Founder of BAIF, Dr. Manibhai Desai, to establish a unique training centre in Pune to impart management skills to professionals and field functionaries engaged in rural development, was fulfilled when Mr. Stanley Gooch, High Commissioner of Canada in India, inaugurated the “BAIF Bhavan” and “Dr. Manibhai Desai …

Environmental protection has always been the main agenda of BAIF while fighting the war against rural poverty. Following the pattern of earlier years, this year too, World Environment Day, a very important day in the calendar of BAIF, will be observed throughout its operational areas in 12 states, by organising various programmes on environmental security and …