Svad means “taste” and also stands for Sittilingi Valley Agricultural Development, reflecting our core philosophy. Svad products are made from agricultural produce from the valley, certified to be a 100% organic. By buying these products, you not only safeguard your health, but support the livelihood of small tribal farmers as they engage in ecologically sustainable farming.

Brief History

Tribal Health Initiative started out in 1993 with the efforts of two doctors- Dr. Regi George and Dr. Lalitha Regi, as an outpatient facility in a hut in Sittilingi village. Their goal was to provide better healthcare to the Malevasi tribal population of the region. After ten years of successful community health work, an impact evaluation was carried out to find that farmers were struggling with their primary source of income – farming. It was realized then that to address the issue of health holistically, the socio-economic determinants of health would have to be improved upon. The promise of increased profits from cash crops had left the farmers debt-ridden and faced with the prospect of migration for labour. Mono-cropping and cash crops also impacted health adversely due to shifting food habits away from traditional, diverse and balanced diets. This was the motivation for the Tribal Farming Initiative which encouraged farmers to switch back to their traditional roots involving organic farming methods.

What began as a group of four farmers became a full-fledged registered society of 300 certified organic farmers under the banner of Sittilingi Valley Organic Farmers Association (SOFA) in 2009. Women’s groups undertaking related entrepreneurial initiatives were also involved, empowering them through independent livelihoods. These efforts led to the birth of Svad, our brand of organic products. A farmer’s producer company was also created to accommodate our increasing sales.

SOFA continues to carry out various programmes promoting the use of organic fertilizers and pesticides, preservation of traditional diverse seeds in seed banks, ecological conservation and the transition back to safe, healthy diets. They aim to bring in more and more farmers into the fold of their movement, enabling the community to become self-sufficient and regain their dignity within their local environment.

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