Sambrahma Farm

Denkanikottai, Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu
(June - November, 2021)

Size: 120 acres

Elevation(m): 872

Annual Rainfall(mm): 911

Climate: Tropical Wet & Dry / Tropical Savanna

Function: Farming layout

Key features: Farming layout-Large ponds and bioswales-Can a plotted development retain and nurture biodiversity?

Ananas was approached to bring permaculture, whole systems design and sustainable farm and resource management practices to an appox. 100 acre plotted agri-layout project. Usually, layouts like these impose an unnatural grid onto the landscape resulting in massive grading and carving that not only harms local biodiversity and water ways, but also results in high engineering costs and efforts to correct the problems created by working against natural flows. Here, the challenge was to design a plotted layout that worked with the contours and intricacies of the land.

The client wants to sell plots of land in three different models (food forest, agroforestry and timber model) as mini farms to urbanites to bring them in close proximity to nature while being sustainable and environmentally responsible. To achieve this the client wants to plan appropriate earthworks, focus on water conservation and management , regenerate the soil and plant trees which will eventually change the micro climate, bring back the biodiversity of this barren parcel of land.