### Regenerative Practices Integrated into Atarya Agro's Rice Cultivation:

- Healthy Soil Management: At Atarya Agro, we prioritize the health of our soil by implementing simple yet effective methods. We utilize cover crops (like ground nuts, pigeon peas, some seasonal vegetables) and organic matter to enrich the soil with essential nutrients and improve its water retention capacity. Additionally, we produce our own organic fertilizers through vermicomposting, harnessing the power of worms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. Furthermore, we integrate animal byproducts like cow dung to enhance soil fertility and structure. By adopting these practices, we aim to cultivate soil that is not only richer in nutrients but also more resilient, leading to stronger and healthier rice plants while reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
![Vermicompost Set-up](https://i.postimg.cc/gc89TCHC/atarya-6-vermicompost.png)
![Cow Dung Compost Unit](https://i.postimg.cc/jdc1VtwF/atarya-7-manure.png)

- Diverse Habitats: We're creating spaces around our rice fields for native plants and beneficial insects to thrive. This helps us naturally control pests and promotes a healthier ecosystem without relying on harmful pesticides.

- Water Efficiency: Through small changes like using water-saving techniques  like alternate wetting and drying (AWD) alog with system of rice intensification (SRI) and smarter irrigation methods, we're conserving water without compromising on rice yield. This ensures that we're using our water resources responsibly while keeping our paddies productive. Our focus will be to  improve water efficiency, reduce water consumption, and mitigate the impacts of water scarcity while maintaining or even increasing rice yields. 

- Carbon Capture: By planting trees around our fields and using organic materials in our farming practices, we're trapping carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in the soil. This not only helps fight climate change but also improves the quality of our soil over time. Generally we plant Coconut trees around the field but sometimes Casuarina tree are planted for this purpose.
 
- Community Involvement: We're working closely with local farmers and government departments to share these simple yet effective practices through hands-on workshops and demonstrations. Together, we're building a community of farmers who are empowered to farm sustainably and protect our environment for future generations.

### Progress so far:

- Currently, we have identified and preserved over 30 rare and overlooked varieties of traditional local rice varieties. 
![Varieties of Indigenous Rice Crop](https://i.postimg.cc/G2tP6nDv/atarya-1-30varietyofseeds.png)

 - We have provided these revitalized endangered crops to local agricultural colleges. They will help us to preserve the spices and with their help these varieties can be made available for other farmers. 
![Rice seed germination process](https://i.postimg.cc/HnBrmrCx/atarya-2-saplingsintrays.png)