The Wayanad region is a beautiful vacation spot. Tourists from all over India and around the world vacation here. The area has a lot to offer in terms of recreational sports, nature cure and wellness and is home to world class resorts. The area is also home to a number of tribal groups. These groups have traditionally lived on gathering food from the forest. Coffee estates in the area have relied on this tribal population for cheap labor.

The district of Wayanad is located in a tri-state area. While the district is part of Kerala state, it is bordered by Karnataka to the north and Tamil Nadu to the east. Bangalore and Mysore are the major cities that are in close proximity to the region. A Profugo COD in Wayanad will have a great opportunity to affect people in all three states. By applying the latest advances in agricultural research, the COD will help locals produce crops and other products that meet world class standards. This will increase margins that can be demanded for the produce and hence benefit the local farmers.

Historically large estate owners have hired locals as day workers without offering any long term security or benefits. Profugo’s vision is to turn over ownership to the local population in the long run. However, this ownership transfer will occur in a phased manner. The phased approach will offer incentives for parents who send their children to school, for e.g. The Profugo team will work with local government programs and authorities and not in isolation. The team will also rely very heavily on local research and help facilitate the dissemination of knowledge to and from the project.