About the NARI Center

The establishment of the NCSD has been made possible by the generous contributions of Bajaj Foundation, Nimbkar Seeds Pvt. Ltd., Cummins Foundation, Kirloskar Group of companies and Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC). In addition to these, many small donors have also contributed to building the center.

The center which was inaugurated on 12 April 2011 will provide a facility for professionals from different fields to work towards finding sustainable solutions for rural India. These will be in the areas of energy, water, agriculture and environment. One of the main focuses of the center will be to forge corporate world/NGO partnership for rural development. The center will also hold courses for local people to educate them in the field of agriculture, renewable energy and sustainable development. 

The instruction in the courses and conferences will be provided by the core faculty. The center will also invite experts from all over the world to speak on issues such as water management, lighting, cooking and transport. Possible solutions to problems in these areas will be presented. In addition,the center will encourage 'brain storming' sessions to help bring answers out of the attendees. This approach, it is hoped, will not only lead to a greater understanding of the issues, but it also has the potential to generate new ideas.

Simple, yet clean accommodation and food in keeping with the ethos of the center will be provided for the participants. The living and dining quarters are adjacent to the conference room.  The center building has some very innovative energy features.

Setting

NCSD is located on NARI's main campus, 300 km southwest of Mumbai next to the small town of Phaltan, in western Maharashtra. The area is productive farmland, which is predominantly used to grow sugar cane. NARI grows a variety of crops on its 50 acres of research farm and visitors are welcome to wander through the fields and experience the peace and quiet of rural India. One can hear bird song during the day and see the starry skies at night. You may find, with the space to think, that new ideas will come to you.

About NARI and its philosophy

NARI was founded in 1968 by Shri B.V. Nimbkar, who remained its president until 1990. The institute is registered under the Societies Registration Act XII of 1860 and the Bombay Public Trust Act of 1950. The institute undertakes research mainly in agriculture, renewable energy, animal husbandry and sustainable development.

At NARI, we believe that the key to rural development is through the application of modern technology and research. Sophisticated technology is needed to efficiently convert scarcely available resources and materials into useful products. It is also our belief that nothing should be wasted and that a scientific approach is required that is holistic.

We also believe that the corporate sector can play an important and active role in rural development. Thus there should be a partnership between corporate sector, NGOs, local residents and government in this area. For this to happen there is a need to sensitize the corporate, governmental, scientific and educational institutions, here and abroad, as well as the civil society regarding rural problems and possible solutions. We need to explore the problems together, and most importantly, the solutions. This theme will be stressed in the workshops, seminars and courses that are conducted at the center and will help in exposing the participants to the problems of rural India.

Finally, it is our belief that each one of us should become sustainable in our lifestyles so that we use the resources for our needs and not for our greed. A sustainable lifestyle can be possible if we become spiritual, which helps us become more secure. Increased internal security helps in reducing greed. When each one of us becomes less greedy, the world will become more sustainable.

See the events section for the proposed subjects of discussion. The brochure for the center can be downloaded from here.