Buddha Garden did not participate in this assessment. However, they sent this information as an introduction to the farm and its current challenges.

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"Buddha Garden started as the vegetable garden of next-door Siddhartha Farm in the year 2000. In 2001/2 new land around the original plot of one and a half acres was purchased and with this land Buddha Garden became an independent farm. In the following years two further plots of land were added  to make the overall acreage of approximately 11acres.

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In the beginning the land was badly eroded and needed a lot of work to bring the soil back to productive life.  This was achieved over time with the setting up of a large number of vegetable beds and orchards using a range of organic methods to improve the soil and the production capacity.  General environmental work was also carried out with the digging of water catchment ponds and  bunding to keep the water on the land.  A  small forest was also palnted to act as a buffer between the farm and the surrounding land.  In the 24 years of Buddha Garden’s existence the farm has produced a wide range of vegetables and fruit for community consumption.  It has also hosted volunteers and courses for a diverse range of students interested in creating their own food growing projects.  This has included local schools as well as international students and volunteers.

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Buddha Garden has aimed to provide a practical example of what can be achieved using nature friendly methods of food growing and to be an inspiration for those wanting to do something similar.

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In 2023 Buddha Garden was told that they would have to give up part of their land for  a new VIP road and that eventually the land would be needed as a car park for the Visitors Centre.  Early in 2024 they were told that this would most likely happen by the end of this year 2024.  Efforts to find new land to which the farm activities could move have proved fruitless as has efforts to involve the new Auroville organisation in this process. 

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Buddha Garden is still a productive and financially sustainable farm growing food for the community.  With no future, however, all investment has ceased and the farm infrastructure is gradually falling apart.  In this situation it seemed pointless to involve the farm in this assessment exercise which would require considerable extra work which in the end would very likely be of no use to anyone. Given this situation everyone working on the farm continues to produce food for Auroville, host volunteers and share what has been learnt over the years with anyone who is interested to do so.  We will do this for as long as we can."