In recent years, the permaculture and regenerative agroforestry movement has gained significant momentum in India, with many initiatives ranging from grassroots collectives to corporate-led projects across the country. These longstanding efforts and policy shifts—like the National Mission on Natural Farming — demonstrate how large-scale adoption of soil regeneration, direct seeding, and water conservation practices can transform degraded land into thriving ecosystems. With these developments, the movement indicates a broader cultural shift towards ecological resilience, sustainable livelihoods, as well as food and water security.
Beforest, a Hyderabad-based initiative founded by Sunith Reddy and Shaurya Chandra in 2018, has been part of the permaculture and regenerative agroforestry movement since its inception. The initiative designs large-scale collectives of 100 acres or more, where individuals co-own private plots but share stewardship of the larger landscape. Through permaculture, polyculture, and ecological zoning, these collectives are designed to mimic natural forests, restoring soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and creating resilient ecosystems that can sustain both humans and wildlife.
Headquartered in Hyderabad, Beforest operates active collectives across India, each comprising dedicated teams of farmers, architects, civil workers, and ecological experts. By incorporating principles from the ‘4 Returns’ framework by Commonland — measuring impacts across inspirational, social, natural, and financial dimensions—the collectives ensure that their interventions are comprehensive, accountable, and regenerative.
Beforest differs from smaller projects focusing on single-owner land or eco-villages due to its larger scope. While other permaculture efforts emphasise personal visions and experimentation, Beforest promotes collective action involving multiple stakeholders to create sustainable landscapes. Its model addresses systemic issues like degraded soil and water scarcity by prioritising soil health over yields, fostering perennial food systems and diverse microclimates naturally.
Culturally, Beforest draws from a renewed interest in traditional wisdom, permaculture, and forest conservation. Across the country, there is growing recognition that ecological degradation cannot be tackled in isolation. Beforest’s forest-inspired collectives mirror traditional Indian methods of community-based land stewardship, from sacred groves under tribal custodianship in the Western Ghats to village commons in central India, blending them with modern design and scientific rigour.
Led by Sunith Reddy (CEO) and Shaurya Chandra (CFO), the initiative has already attracted over 200 members. Together, they have nurtured a network of ecologically-minded individuals, farmers, and experts who see beyond the farm itself to the interconnected cycles of soil, water, biodiversity, and community. With a mission to regenerate 10,000 acres over ten years, Beforest is spearheading a lifestyle movement where sustainability is a collective responsibility.
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