Energy Farming to Combat Climate Change

Energy Farming refers to the sustainable cultivation of crops that provide green energy, most notably biofuel—crops like sunflower, castor, Jatropha, and Pongamia. As the cost of petroleum rises, the need for alternative sources of energy becomes more urgent. Energy Farming empowers rural farmers to enter into the rapidly expanding alternative energy market. By utilizing organic [...]

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Energy Farming Techniques

The Himalayan Institute’s Energy Farming program utilizes organic and biovedic land cultivation techniques. By avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the Energy Farming program is able to grow healthy crops while improving the fertility of the soil. Some of these techniques that are currently in use at the Tibetan Rabgyeling Settlement include intercropping, vermicomposting, and micro-rainwater [...]

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Protecting the Pongamia Plantation

3,500 pongamia seedlings have been planted at the Himalayan Institute Energy Farming demonstration site at the Tibetan Rabgyeling Settlement.

The seedlings have been doing very well and are now about 3-4 feet tall. Once fully mature, the seeds from these trees will be used to produce biofuel, which will help to bring jobs and sustainability to [...]

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Preparing the Land

The Himalayan Institute Energy Farming team at the Tibetan Rabgyeling Settlement has set to work preparing the land for planting young pongamia seedlings. Currently, the seedlings are doing very well at their nursery where they were planted only a few months ago.

A tractor from the Rabgyeling Settlement Farmers Cooperative has been used to clear the thorny [...]

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Origins of the Himalayan Institute, Tibetan Collaboration

The seed of the Himalayan Institute Tibetan Community Center vision was planted in winter 2007, when an Institute member introduced the HI Community Center concept to representatives of the Tibet Fund, an independent US-based nonprofit organization that works closely with the Central Tibetan Administration and grass roots organizations to sustain and empower the exile community. [...]

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