Lot 136: Agro Forestry

Unlike conventional agricultural practices that strip the soil of fertility, especially carbon, Araku Coffee is grown in a way where the soil is enriched and nourished through a regenerative agriculture process.

In addition to coffee, Naandi supports the coffee farms with a range of saplings. This diversifies coffee shade, and helps generate additional income for the farmer family. Pongamia is one such example. A leguminous tree, it helps balance soil nitrogen ensuring a healthy coffee plant grows. It also works as a shade tree and the valuable seeds find a ready market.

With Araku Coffee we have reintroduced as many as 21 varieties of horticultural species of fruit, forest, and shade trees like chikoo, custard apple, grapefruit, lemon, jamun, gooseberry, Spanish cherry, et al. We attribute the complex cup qualities of Lot 136 to the foundation of fertile soil and diverse symbiotic shade.