Latest Developments at the Ananda Kalyani Master Unit, Portugal
Before exploring the latest developments at Ananda Kalyani, it’s important to consider some key project details. The project spans over 35 hectares of agricultural land and forests of the rural region of central Portugal, close to the Natural Reserve of Serra da Estrela, famously known as “The Mountain of the Stars,” which reaches an elevation of 1993 meters. Positioned between Lisbon (285 km) and Porto (220 km), Ananda Kalyani is ideally situated within an hour’s drive of three university cities. The master unit is supported by various registered associations that focus on a range of areas, including Ecology (PCAP), Prout Research (PRIP), Social Welfare (AMURT), Art & Culture (RAWA), and Education (NHE).
Regenerative practices at Ananda Kalyani – Portugal
When we discuss agricultural sustainability, what does it truly encompass? Is it merely about growing your own food and embracing self-sufficiency, or can it extend beyond that? According to the National Agricultural Library, sustainable agriculture involves “farming in such a way as to protect the environment, enhance natural resources, and make optimal use of nonrenewable resources.” However, we must also consider the broader aspects of sustainable agriculture that contribute to nurturing society as a whole. How can we integrate all facets of a sustainable lifestyle across various levels?
We invite you to explore the latest sustainable developments within the Ananda Kalyani Master Unit. By focusing on waste management, organic farming, renewable energy, ecosystem regeneration, water management, and community, Ananda Kalyani not only is enhancing local food security and biodiversity but also is fostering a resilient community capable of adapting to future challenges. This pioneering project is creating ripples of positive change both locally and beyond.
According to a sustainable agriculture definition, sustainable agriculture is an integrated, site-specific system of plant and animal production practices that, over the long term, meet human food and fiber needs, improve environmental quality, efficiently use resources, support farm economic viability, and enhance the quality of life for both farmers and society. In other words, it offers long-term solutions that benefit not only farmers but also the environment and the local economy. Ananda Kalyani has recently implemented these practices as follows.
Waste Management – Transforming waste into soil enrichment
We have recently implemented a comprehensive composting system, turning waste from the community kitchen, gardens, and agricultural plots into nutrient-rich compost used to enrich the soil in our food forest, agricultural plots, and other growing areas. Additionally, we are using composting or dry toilets, with most of our “humanure” collected and buried to be used as fertilizer. Recently, we began experimenting with biochar, a charcoal-like substance that improves soil aeration, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, minimizes nutrient leaching, decreases soil acidity, and can enhance water retention in coarse soils.
Organic Agriculture through Agroforestry Solutions
Organic agriculture supplies an increasing share of our vegetables, along with perennial fruits like raspberries and blackberries. In addition, since 2020, we have designed and established four different agroforestry (Syntropic Agriculture) demonstration plots, each with a unique layout. Agroforestry involves intercropping trees with other plants in a way that allows them to complement one another, enrich the soil, attract pollinators, diversify productivity, and even provide medicinal benefits.
Ecosystem Regeneration and Green Energy
Photovoltaic and thermal solar panels have recently been installed on two rooftops, with plans to expand their number to achieve self-sufficiency in energy. Additionally, a strategic plan for ecosystem regeneration has been developed to revitalize seven distinct habitats, promoting biodiversity, resilience, and ecological balance. The plan emphasizes restoring biodiversity, enhancing soil health, and improving water management through practical actions such as reforesting degraded areas, implementing agroforestry systems, and integrating sustainable agricultural practices.
Sustainable Water Management
A filtration system has recently been implemented. Our water management system includes a well for clean drinking water and a pump that draws water from the river for irrigation, ensuring sustainable and efficient water use for both crops and the surrounding ecosystem. According to UNESCO, agriculture consumes about 70% of the world’s water reserves, leading to water scarcity in many regions. One solution to help reduce this impact is the use of natural greywater filtration. At Ananda Kalyani, the water from kitchen sinks is filtered by plants and infiltrated into the ground, as an alternative to septic tanks, in line with Portuguese regulations. In the future, we plan to explore rainwater harvesting, vermicomposting, and the use of beneficial microorganisms, working with local universities to provide scientific support for these initiatives.
Community involvement: Harvesting and oil production
Community Harvest is a village-level initiative focused on collaboratively harvesting and utilizing the abundance of fresh produce that grows locally, maximizing the use of valuable resources and promoting local production for local consumption. This initiative also has the potential to support value-added cottage industries, creating employment and livelihoods. One of our key projects is olive harvesting and oil production, where we harvest olives from our land annually to produce high-quality olive oil. We also started assisting neighboring areas with their olive harvests, using traditional methods that preserve the olives’ natural characteristics, demonstrating our commitment to regenerative practices.
PRIP: Rethinking & Redesigning Society
Cova da Beira Converge
Society as it is nowadays is clearly not a sustainable way of living. We need to think and design new models where justice, sustainability and prosperity can be people and nature-centred. This is why we collaborate with the Prout Research Institute of Portugal (PRIP), standing for a new system that gives every individual the possibility to develop holistically in a society that values well-being, self-development, collective development and local economy. One of PRIP’s initiatives, Cova da Beira Converge, resumed after the summer break. This is a series of events that brings together people on different topics that are standing within a region. Recent events included the Café dos Artistas, which addressed challenges faced by artists, and the sustainable mining solutions around the local region. Learn more about PRIP’s work here – https://prip.pt/.
Construction Projects Underway
Ananda Kalyani is an ever-changing place, we are constantly searching for feedback both from our permanent community, volunteers and visitors in order to improve and make our place highly satisfying! After some discussions, we ended up with really amazing construction projects:
- A larger hall or meeting space for classes, workshops and various programs
- Higher quality resident, volunteers & visitor facilities including a reception space, specific sinks & toilet for kids, a shop, a library…
- A licensed kitchen to better host events and cook even more amazing meals
To make this possible, we already have a great maintenance team but still need some financial support in order to invest in good quality equipment. To do so, we are fundraising, so if our project touches you and you are willing to participate we will be extremely grateful! https://anandakalyani.org/donation/
Helping locally and globally to people in need
people in need
Inequalities are unfortunately still really present in our modern world and it is part of our responsibility as humans to collaborate and help those in need. We have been taking action locally with AMURT Portugal, working with refugees, giving yoga classes at local prisons, cooking food for the solidarity kitchen and much more. As an example, donations raised by AMURTEL continue to make a difference in the lives of many Palestinian children in Cairo. After building several temporary schools and thanks to the generosity of many people, we were able to pay the salaries of two teachers until March 2025 and deliver essential school materials. The children’s joy and enthusiasm upon receiving these small gestures fills us with hope. But our work is not over yet. Basic essential needs persist and we need your help to continue supporting these families in Gaza.
We are really happy and proud to have an impact not only in our community but on a larger scale involving municipalities and regions. These small local steps are for us a huge beautiful progress to share our vision of a fair and sustainable way of life, to show that it is actually possible to create a better society. Stay tuned for our upcoming exciting project and events here – https://anandakalyani.org/