The Green Revolution Run by Women: Inside Asia’s Biggest Nursery

In the heart of Tamil Nadu, a remarkable initiative is quietly transforming both the environment and the lives of women. Operated by the Isha Foundation, this plant nursery is Asia’s largest single-site nursery managed entirely by women. Part of the ambitious Cauvery Calling project, the nursery is contributing to a massive reforestation effort aimed at replenishing the Cauvery River basin across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The project envisions planting 2.42 billion trees over a 12-year period, aiming to restore ecological balance, increase green cover, and revive water tables. With a goal this monumental, every sapling counts. Last year alone, the Cauvery Calling initiative planted 1.2 crore trees in Tamil Nadu, with the women-run nursery producing an astonishing 85 lakh saplings. The saplings are dispatched to farmers, marking yet another step in a transformative environmental mission. The nursery, currently in full bloom, is a symbol of hope for both the environment and women's empowerment.Empowering Women Through Green WorkWhat makes this nursery exceptional is not just its scale but also its human story. The entire operation, from cultivation to financial management, is handled exclusively by women. These women manage planting schedules, irrigation, maintenance, and quality checks, proving their expertise in a field historically dominated by men. For many of these women, the nursery represents more than employment; it is a platform for empowerment. Working in an organized, large-scale operation allows them to earn a livelihood, gain financial independence, and develop leadership skills. Their work ensures that farmers across the Cauvery basin receive healthy, robust saplings, supporting the reforestation mission while also giving women a tangible role in shaping India’s environmental future. The all-women team of the nursery embodies resilience and dedication. From the early morning hours spent tending to seedlings to overseeing the dispatch of saplings to distant farmers, their commitment is unwavering. The Science of Saplings and ReforestationRunning Asia’s largest nursery requires not only dedication but also meticulous planning and scientific know-how. The nursery cultivates a wide variety of saplings suitable for different soil types and climatic conditions across the Cauvery basin. Each sapling is nurtured under controlled conditions to ensure high survival rates when planted by farmers. The Cauvery Calling project leverages both traditional knowledge and modern horticultural practices to maximize impact. Women nursery managers monitor growth cycles, implement natural pest management strategies, and ensure sustainable watering practices. This attention to detail results in saplings that are more likely to thrive in the field, strengthening the Cauvery River ecosystem over time. By producing millions of saplings annually, the nursery contributes significantly to increasing tree cover, improving soil health, and restoring groundwater levels. As these trees grow, they absorb carbon, combat soil erosion, and provide habitats for local wildlife, creating a cascading effect of ecological benefits.Impact Beyond BordersThe significance of this nursery extends far beyond Tamil Nadu. By combining large-scale reforestation with women's empowerment, it serves as a model for similar initiatives across Asia and the world. It highlights how environmental sustainability can be paired with social justice, ensuring that development benefits both nature and people. The Cauvery Calling project’s scale is immense, but its approach is replicable. By showing that women can lead large, technically demanding nurseries, the initiative challenges societal norms and encourages other organizations to adopt inclusive models. The nursery proves that women’s leadership is not only possible but essential in tackling complex challenges like climate change, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss.A Blooming FutureAs millions of saplings make their way to farmers across the Cauvery basin, the women of the nursery continue to sow hope, one plant at a time. Their work is a reflection of what is possible when vision, science, and social empowerment come together. Over the next decade, as trees mature and rivers flow fuller, the impact of their dedication will be visible in every green leaf, in every replenished water table, and in every empowered woman who made it happen. This nursery is more than a site for growing trees; it is a symbol of innovation and human connection. It reminds us that environmental conservation is most effective when communities are actively involved and that empowering women is one of the most powerful ways to create sustainable change.