On the outskirts of Auroville, Tomas runs Annapurna, its largest (135-acres) organic farm. Experiments are ongoing to try to improve yields, using the most appropriate plant varieties and techniques for that particular environment and they are trying to work as ecologically as possible. But it will never be completely sustainable – economics still have an effect, diesel is needed for tractors and they are on the main electricity grid. Tomas says ideals are crucial, but realism is also needed so the farm produces enough to meet needs. He concludes: “it is continuously this kind of balancing out between ideals, between reality, between economics - it's life, that's how it is.”

Nandini is a cooperative which supplies clothes on a need basis rather than enticing people to browse and buy things they might not really want, like a shop. Membership is paid for annually and people are given what they need regardless of cost. The clothes are bought in Pondicherry as and when they are required. Yet there are questions about defining need - how many t-shirts a person really needs - and this is monitored carefully. Sometimes people are found to be taking too much and Marie has to talk with them about what they really need. There is also a tailoring service to alter clothes and have things such as curtains and bedclothes made for houses.
That piece was uploaded as one from the serie of past articles.

Nous avons lu, dans le News&Notes du 20 janvier 2010 le rapport d'Auroville Board of Service faisant mention d'un « plan pour introduire la Maintenance Universelle ». Ce plan serait « un des chemins pour amener tout ceux qui rejoignent AV et travaillent ensemble pour ces idéaux in one economy ». Il y a donc un plan quelque part. Des Aurovilliens qui se grattent la tête, des stratèges de l'économie unitaire. Ce fut une bonne nouvelle, une laïque surprise. Il nous fallait au plus vite réaliser un reportage sur ce topic et trainer notre micro sur les trottoirs imaginaires en quête de commentaires.