Vanadurgi Foundation is a registered trust, established with the aim of improving rural economy along with environment conservation. It was founded in 2005 by Sri Mallappa Hegde, Smt Anasuya Hegde and Sri Dharmendra Kumar, the owners of Vanadurgi Group. With their service as managing trustees, the NGO began its journey from Sringeri, a small town in Karnataka, which now has a marked presence at various locations of South India. The Foundation includes executive members from all walks of life, who are interested in social welfare, and believe in the rights of individuals.

The Foundation works to improve the living standards of the underprivileged by eradicating poverty through various programmes. Raising awareness about tree preservation and growing as a part of environment conservation is also the Foundation’s main motive. Over the last few years, our activities have expanded through several programmes at various rural locations of the Western Ghats of South India, especially Karnataka. Rural development, farmers’ empowerment, organic movement and tree promotion are the main activities along with the recently launched population control programmes. Vanadurgi Group contributes a major part of donations along with the support of its executive members and donors.

Vanadurgi Foundation works as an agency for the implementation of several projects and programmes on behalf of its associates. Whatever donations the Foundation receives will be passed on to identified beneficiaries in the name of the donor. Vanadurgi Group is assisting in the expansion of projects by providing several new projects for implementation and also financial assistance for the programmes. Over 5 lakh trees of various species are planted every year as part of the agroforestry project. Technical support is provided to encourage farm forestry by cultivating agarwood, sandalwood, teak, mahogany etc., at various places of Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala states. Essential oil and plant cultivation is going on, with a plan to expand it to 2,000 acres in the near future as per buyers’ needs. The Foundation is working on replanting vanilla, which has currently vanished. An organic and GAP certification is going on with a vision to expand it to 25,000 acres. The Foundation is promoting cocoa cultivation under coconut gardens at irrigated conditions of warm climate zones with a project to promote it in 5,000 acres.

For the overall development of rural economy, apart from the standardised cultivation of existing crops, Vanadurgi Foundation has launched the promotion of new cash crops that can be successfully grown in different climatic zones of Karnataka state. Our forthcoming projects include the cultivation and promotion of marigold, chillies, padimugam, mulberry etc., as part of the natural colours project. The Foundation is co-ordinating the activities of the project between farmers, companies and government bodies. It works with the farmers on the one hand, and in collaboration with potential customers on the other. To achieve empowerment, farmers are encouraged to take maximum advantage of these projects, so that their earning capacity will increase. The Foundation is taking up all these pioneer, bold initiatives to create employment, raise environmental awareness, spread education, promote rural development etc.