The Isha Foundation has planted 13.4 crore trees under its Cauvery Calling project, project director Anand Ethirajalu said at a media briefing on Friday in New Delhi.
Envisioned by Isha Foundation’s founder Sadhguru, the initiative aims to facilitate the plantation of 242 crore trees across the Cauvery basin.
Originating in Karnataka and emptying into the Bay of Bengal through Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery has been facing ecological stress, including a considerable decline in its streamflow over the years.
Under Cauvery Calling, the foundation is facilitating farmers to switch to tree-based agriculture with the aim of replenishing the river, reviving the soil and aiding farmers’ income. The foundation said it has so far helped 2.6 lakh farmers transition to tree-based agriculture.
“By adopting practices such as minimal tillage, mulching and cover cropping, I was able to significantly improve the soil organic carbon levels on my farm,” Valluvan (58), a farmer from Tamil Nadu, associated with Cauvery Calling, said at the media briefing.
“I also transformed my coconut monoculture farm into a diverse, multi-layered food forest with timber, pepper, and fruit crops. These methods reduced dependence on fertilisers and pesticides while making the farm more resilient to droughts and floods,” he added.
While tree plantation drives have been widely encouraged, environmental experts had—at the time of the project’s launch in 2019—stressed that addressing the root causes behind the Cauvery’s depletion would be crucial for long-term revival.
Responding to a question on land ownership, Ethirajalu clarified that the plantations are being carried out on private farmland.
The foundation has set the target of planting 1.2 crore trees in 2026-27.
He further informed that Cauvery Calling is one of the three major on-ground initiatives being carried forward under the Isha Foundation’s broader 'Save Soil' movement.
The other two are the 'Save Soil Regenerative Revolution' (SS-RR) and the 'Save Soil Farmers Movement'.
The SS-RR is focused on training farmers in scientific regenerative agriculture, while the latter is aimed at strengthening market access and the economic resilience of farmers.
