The Biovillage Paradigm is considered as 'Ecotechnology in Action', where the sustainability is ensured through appropriate interventions/ technology dissemination that is environment friendly and provides opportunities for ensuring livelihood security. It aims at achieving a holistic approach that harmonises the need of the present with the future generation. It is carried out by various actors according to different situations, capacities and priorities of rural areas and regions in accordance with the principles of sustainable development in which:

• Pro-nature orientation is reflected through ensuring the sustainability of productivity of bio-physical resource base and employing environmentally compatible interventions.
• Pro-poor orientation is achieved by employing interventions that improve the livelihood security of the resource poor through empowering them with technology and skills.
• Pro-women orientation is ensured through empowering women with skills and access to credit facilities/ finances and reducing the drudgery of work at home and outside.

The activities are carried out in an adaptive participatory research and development process along with the community, thereby enabling the community to understand the process and potentials of sustainable natural resource management and various livelihood options available in farm and non-farm sectors. The Biovillage Programme of the Centre also includes the institutionalisation process to ensure the continuity of the initiatives, undertaken by MSSRF along with the community, with appropriate linkages and flexibility to enable adaptability to changing requirements, thereby making the process relevant and sustainable.