Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust

What Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust does

Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust (SSIAST) is an Indian nonprofit agricultural trust operating under the Art of Living Foundation founded by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Bengaluru, the organization trains farmers in chemical-free, cow-based natural farming using four proprietary indigenous formulations — Jeevamrut (microbial soil culture), Beejamrut (seed treatment), Brahmastra (natural pest management), and Agnyastra (pest control preparation). SSIAST reports having trained 3 million farmers across 24 Indian states and converted 5,56,000+ acres into climate-resilient agriculture land, supported by a network of 2,200+ certified Natural Farming Trainers and 9,000+ Farm Managers.

SSIAST's product portfolio comprises seven training and educational programs: a flagship 7-day residential Train the Trainer certification in natural farming, a 3-day Natural Farming workshop, plus specialized offerings in Mushroom Farming, Bee Keeping, Home Gardening, Kids Gardening, and Mandal Vatika community gardens. Distribution is community-led and field-based, delivered through direct residential training, model farms (e.g., Rewa Model Farm), and government partnerships. Technology is grounded in traditional Ayurvedic-inspired agricultural formulations rather than digital or AI-based systems.

The business model is donation-driven: SSIAST is a charitable trust with "Donate Now" as its primary call-to-action and does not publicly disclose program pricing. Revenue mechanics include donations and charitable contributions, supplemented by an organic inputs exchange arrangement with Sri Sri Naisargik LLP and Unique Organic Inputs Exchange. The customer base consists of smallholder farmers in rural, tribal, and suicide-prone districts, with secondary segments including rural youth, urban home gardeners, and children. Headcount is reported at 11–50 employees, with operational scale achieved through a distributed volunteer and trainer network rather than centralized employment.

Name

Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust

Legal name

Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust

Website

https://ssiast.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SSIAST is an Indian nonprofit agricultural trust under the Art of Living Foundation that trains smallholder farmers in chemical-free natural farming using indigenous formulations, reaching 3 million farmers across 24 states through community-led certification and training programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Training & Natural Farming Education

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (1151), Farm Management Services (115116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Forestry (800)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDABALAA

Agriculture & Food Production

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Industry-Specific Professional Training (e.g., Healthcare, Manufacturing, Construction)

SECONDARYEDAOAOAO

Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Agriculture, Horticulture & Skilled Trades

SECONDARYEDAOAOAF

Crop, Soil & Agronomy Technician Training

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Agriculture, Horticulture & Skilled Trades

Keywords

• Natural farming training
• Agricultural extension services
• Farmer education programs
• Organic farming workshops
• Apiculture training

Headquarters

HQ city

Bengaluru

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: SSIAST operates primarily as a charitable trust relying on donations. The website features a 'Donate Now' option prominently throughout the site, suggesting donations are the primary funding mechanism for operations and program delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SSIAST delivers natural farming and agricultural training programs to Indian farmers, rural youth, and home gardeners, using indigenous chemical-free formulations (Jeevamrut, Beejamrut, Brahmastra, Agnyastra). The offerings include a 3-day Natural Farming program, a 7-day Train the Trainer certification, and shorter workshops on home gardening, mushroom farming, beekeeping, kids gardening, and community gardens (Mandal Vatika), delivered through a network of trained Natural Farming Trainers across 24 states.

Product overview

SSIAST operates as a training and educational institute promoting sustainable natural farming rooted in India's agrarian heritage. The portfolio includes Natural Farming (3-day chemical-free, cow-based cultivation), Home Gardening, Mushroom Farming, Bee Keeping, Kids Gardening, Mandal Vatika, and the flagship Train the Trainer certification program (7-day residential). These programs use indigenous formulations like Jeevamrut, Beejamrut, Brahmastra, and Agnyastra, providing region-specific guidance through community-led training that supports farmers across the crop cycle, nurturing a self-sustaining ecosystem grounded in tradition, ecology, and collective well-being.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Natural Farming Program A 3-day training program in chemical-free, cow-based natural farming that uses indigenous formulations (Jeevamrut, Beejamrut, Brahmastra, Agnyastra) to enable a self-reliant and cost-free farming model. Targeted at farmers and rural communities seeking alternatives to chemical-based agriculture.
• Agri Teacher Training (Train the Trainer) A 7-day residential natural farming certification program that blends agricultural skills with spirituality, certifying participants as Natural Farming Trainers for rural transformation.
• Kids Gardening A hands-on nature learning program for children with eco-creative activities and workshops designed to build environmental responsibility through daily gardening.
• Home Gardening A short hands-on training program teaching urban and semi-urban participants to grow organic food in small spaces and compost kitchen waste. Delivered as a 3-hour session.
• Mushroom Farming A training program in low-cost, high-return mushroom cultivation that converts agro-waste into income, with hands-on training and post-training support.
• Bee Keeping A one-day hands-on beekeeping workshop focused on pollinator protection, providing rural participants with an income-generating eco-entrepreneurship skill.
• Mandal Vatika A community garden program implemented at the Mandal (administrative sub-district) level, supporting localized food production and community engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 million farmers trained across 24 states
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sri Sri Naisargik LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed in the presence of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with Unique Organic Inputs exchange to promote sustainable agriculture and farmer empowerment through natural farming inputs.
• Unique Organic Inputs ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed with Sri Sri Naisargik LLP in presence of Gurudev for organic inputs exchange supporting natural farming ecosystem.
• Art of Living FoundationcoreOthersSSIAST is an initiative under the Art of Living foundation, led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The foundation provides organizational infrastructure, brand association, and network reach for SSIAST programs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action): Indian NGO that designs and delivers livelihood training programs for rural communities, including sustainable and natural farming methodologies. Directly comparable as a non-profit training-focused organization empowering smallholder farmers through community-led extension, similar in mission and beneficiary base to SSIAST.
• Digital Green: India-originated NGO that trains farmers via video-mediated agricultural extension and community-based knowledge transfer. Directly comparable as a tech-/curriculum-enabled farmer training organization using a train-the-trainer-like community video approach to scale sustainable practices, similar in mission to SSIAST's grassroots training model.
• BAIF Development Research Foundation: Large Indian development foundation operating programs in agriculture, livestock, and rural livelihoods across multiple states. Comparable as a non-profit organization delivering farmer training, sustainable agriculture practices, and rural transformation at scale, operating in overlapping geographies with SSIAST.
• Timbaktu Collective: Indian non-profit that promotes organic and sustainable farming practices through farmer training, community programs, and producer cooperatives in drought-prone regions. Directly comparable as a sustainable agriculture training and community-led natural farming organization operating in India.
• Vrutti Livelihood Resource Centre: Indian non-profit that designs and delivers livelihood and sustainable agriculture programs for rural communities, working with smallholder farmers on income diversification and climate-resilient practices. Directly comparable as a mission-aligned training and capacity-building organization serving Indian smallholders.

Broad incumbents

• National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE): Government of India apex institute for agricultural extension management, training agricultural extension officers and field functionaries across India. Overlaps with SSIAST in agricultural training but operates as a government-backed, much larger, formalized institution rather than a charitable trust.
• ITC e-Choupal: Large-scale farmer training and extension program run by ITC, reaching millions of Indian farmers with agronomic advisories and sustainable practices. Comparable as a mass-reach farmer training/extension platform in India, though serving a corporate-agri-supply objective rather than a non-profit mission.
• Mahindra Samriddhi: Mahindra Group's agri-business initiative providing agricultural extension, training, and farm mechanization support to Indian farmers. Overlaps with SSIAST in farmer training and rural outreach but operates at larger corporate scale with for-profit model.
• Greenpeace India (Sustainable Agriculture Programs): Environmental NGO with active sustainable agriculture, organic farming, and rural livelihoods programs across India. Overlaps with SSIAST in promoting chemical-free farming and rural community empowerment through training and awareness programs.

Emerging players

• Gram Vaani: Tech-enabled social enterprise building digital platforms for community media and agricultural extension in rural India. Comparable in providing training/extension services to smallholder farmers, but more digital-first and technology-mediated, while SSIAST relies on in-person residential and field training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SSIAST
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SSIAST
• Facebookfacebook.com/ssiast.artofliving
• Instagraminstagram.com/ssiast_artofliving

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust