Tag: Nature-based Solutions

Why the Vetiver System Is a Breakthrough in Biological Pest Control

Across the tropics and subtropics, farmers face a tightening squeeze: rising pest pressure, declining soil fertility, unpredictable rainfall, and the escalating cost of chemical inputs. What the new Vetiver System biological‑control module makes clear is that a single, elegant solution—vetiver…

Vetiver as Vetiver Forage: What the Evidence Really Shows, a Drought Resilient Feed

Across the tropics, livestock producers face a recurring challenge: how to maintain animals through long dry seasons, drought cycles, and periods when conventional fodder collapses. Vetiver grass, long celebrated for its engineering and environmental benefits, is increasingly recognized as a…

From Sixty Plants to System‑Wide Protection: The Vetiver Standard

For nearly 40 years, the Vetiver Grass Technology (VGT) has been recognized worldwide for its unmatched performance in soil conservation, slope stabilization, hydrological protection, and watershed rehabilitation. But one of its most powerful biological functions—its ability to act as a…

Vetiver Grass Technology, Nematodes, and Crop Health: A New Biological Paradigm for Tropical Agriculture

For decades, root‑knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) have quietly undermined tropical agriculture, reducing yields in bananas, chilli peppers, tomatoes, cassava, sweet potato, and dozens of other crops. Their damage is often misdiagnosed as drought stress or nutrient deficiency, leaving farmers with…

Vetiver Grass – The Microbial Engine that drives the Vetiver Grass Technology – Transforming Vetiver Plant Establishment, Perennial Cropping Systems, and Soil Restoration

The Microbial Engine Behind Vetiver’s Exceptional Performance .   Across the tropics, vetiver grass has earned its reputation as one of the world’s most resilient biological tools for soil and water conservation. Its deep, fibrous roots anchor slopes, its dense hedges…

Newsletter (NL2026-01) Vetiver Grass Technology – Read and Think Deep!

The Five Non‑Negotiables for Successful Vetiver System Establishment Effective vetiver installations don’t happen by chance. They require disciplined quality management with trained supervision to ensure every step—from cultivar selection to long‑term maintenance—meets Vetiver Grass Technology (VGT) design and application standards. When these…

A new technical reference and guide for slope stabilization from Dr. Mohammad Shariful Islam

The Vetiver Network International is pleased to present this new technical reference and guide: Standard Specification for Slope Stabilization Using Vetiver Grass. Authored by Dr. Mohammad Shariful Islam, a distinguished researcher and practitioner in the field of bioengineering, Dr. Islam’s…

Newsletter (NL 2025-12) – a year in review & other news

The Vetiver System in 2025 The most outstanding aspect of the Vetiver System in 2025 were the people of the VS global community.  WhatsApp groups in India and Latin America, the monthly Latin American Conversatorios, and numerous active Facebook groups…

Newsletter (NL 2025-11) – Mine Restoration – Knowledge Resources – Global Voices

From Scarred Mines to Blueberry Fields: A Story of Restoration from South China. In Baisha Town, Yingde City, the scars of illegal rare earth mining once defined the landscape. Jagged rocks and barren soil stretched across Mendong Village’s Fourth Pond,…

Newsletter (NL 2025-09) 100 year old vetiver hedges! Slope Stabilization, Feedback from the Field and more

100 Year old Vetiver hedgerows still functioning Vonnie Roudette of St Vincent and the Grenadines – “the best project manager ever”.   Vonnie is one of a number of outstanding women who develop and execute Vetiver related programs. She is a…