Civicom Aid's Farmer-Managed Restoration Program empowers family farmers to practice regenerative grazing and cropping, aiming to restore pasturelands, croplands, and ecosystem. Our goal is to achieve sustainable food production for marginalized rural and arid family farmers.
Regenerative Farming
Regenerative Cropping
Our approach is built on four core principles:
1. Minimum Soil Disturbance: Limit mechanical, chemical, and physical soil disturbance.
2. Permanent Soil Cover: Maintains soil health and fertility, while suppressing weeds.
3. Crop Rotation: Breaks pest and disease cycles, improving soil structure.
4. Crop Diversification: Increases resilience and supports ecosystem balance.
These principles improve soil health and fertility, reduce soil erosion and evaporation, suppress weeds, and break pest and disease cycles.
Green Regeneration
Vegetative Propagation
We empower family farmers to green their farmlands by promoting the growth of coppice trees from remaining native tree stumps or roots after the trunks and branches have been cut down. Through sustainable coppicing practices, we ensure continuous tree regeneration, contributing to a healthy and productive forest ecosystem. This initiative leverages the natural regenerative abilities of native trees, providing a low-cost and effective approach to forest replenishment.
Coppice Trees Survival Rate. Our initiative boasts an impressive 98% survival rate for coppice trees, ensuring that the majority of trees reach maturity.
Low-Cost and Resource-Efficient: Natural regeneration is a cost-effective method of forest restoration and management. Unlike planting seedlings, which requires significant financial investment, natural regeneration utilizes existing seed banks and root systems, minimizing expenses associated with planting, watering, and seed procurement.
Native Tree Focus: By encouraging the growth of native tree species, we maintain the natural biodiversity and resilience of the forest ecosystem.
Human Involvement: While natural regeneration occurs without direct human intervention, human actions can significantly influence its success. Sustainable forest management practices, such as protecting sprout sources, controlling invasive species, and minimizing disturbance, can enhance natural regeneration processes.Coppice trees, which regenerate from stumps and root systems after cutting, demonstrate impressive survival rates. Studies have shown survival rates upwards of 90%, indicating the resilience and adaptability of coppice species to changing environmental conditions.
Bunds Propagation
We empower family farmers to establish Half Bunds—simple, cost-effective structures designed to collect and retain water in semi-arid and arid landscapes. These curved barriers capture rainwater runoff, prevent erosion, and promote the germination of native seeds in barren lands. Over time, these areas transform into greenlands and productive farmlands, supporting sustainable agriculture, mitigating climate change, and improving local livelihoods.
Survival Rate: WHalf bunds have demonstrated high tree survival rates, as they are designed to collect, store, infiltrate, and prevent evaporation. These structures can continue to function effectively for many years without repairs, providing ongoing benefits to ecosystems and communities.
Collection and Retention of Water: When rainfall occurs, half bunds collects rainwater, where it is absorbed into the soil or stored for later use by plants. This retention of water helps sustain vegetation during dry periods, supporting plant growth and enhancing ecosystem resilience.
Germination of Underground Native Seeds: As water accumulates into half bunds, it creates ideal conditions for the germination of underground native seeds. These seeds, dormant during periods of drought, sprout and grow, transforming barren landscapes into vibrant, green environments teeming with life.
Human Involvement: Half bunds projects often involve local communities, who play a crucial role in their design, construction, and maintenance. Through participatory approaches, communities are empowered to take ownership of environmental conservation efforts, fostering a sense of stewardship and responsibility.
Cost Effectiveness: One of the key advantages of half bunds is their cost-effectiveness. Constructed using locally available materials such as rocks, soil, and vegetation, these structures require minimal financial investment. Their low-tech design and simple construction methods make them accessible and sustainable solutions for water conservation and land restoration.
Waste-to-gas
We’re transforming waste into biogas for cooking, heating, and lighting in remote arid pastoralist areas. This project engages pastoralist communities to promote clean energy, enhance health, and address climate change in their villages.