During my recent vacation, I came across a nice 

experience to know about a chemical free village in 

India. Enabavi, a small village in Warangal district, 

Andhra Pradesh is an inspirational story for many 

other villages and farmers this small village is guided by CROPS (Centre for Rural Operations Programmes Society) supported by the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA). Today there are many visitors to this village to learn about sustainable agriculture.

During the seventies, the farmers relied heavily on 

chemical fertilizers and pesticides and they used to spend about Rs.3500 on chemicals per acre. By 

1995 problems arose and despite heavy spending, 

the crop yields failed due to pests. Then came an 

initiative towards non pesticidal management which 

is now widely practiced in Andhra Pradesh and other states. The farmers do not spend anything now 

on chemicals. This village shifted to chemical free 

farming about 10 years ago..

The farmers here grow cotton, paddy, pulses, chilli, 

tobacco etc.  During 2006, the entire 282 acres in 

the village were converted to organic farming. The 

close knit village has social control to ensure the 

farmers do not err in deviating from their ban on 

chemicals. The elders in the village teach their 

children the knowledge and skills of non-chemical 

farming. The farmers sell their crops directly to 

consumers and also through a marketing channel 

called Sahaja Aharam in Hyderabad.. 

Farmers here use methods like using tank silt, poultry manure, vermi-compost and farm yard manure. 

They also started to develop their own seeds for 

many crops. They have set up many self-help groups towards sustainable models of production.