Water catchment ponds and underground water storage tanks are increasing. As water-saving devices, sprinkler irrigation, micro sprinklers and drip systems are being used wherever possible. Many farms have biogas converters in use to provide a natural and cheap source of cooking fuel for domestic on-farm use. Mango, tamarind, jackfruit and cashew are also cultivated with limited inputs and generally without irrigation. Animal husbandry is practiced on nearly all farms, providing substantial quantities of milk, cheese and eggs for consumption within Auroville.
Breeds vary between indigenous, indigenous-crossbreed and exotic.
An important aspect of cultivation, both ecologically and economically, is the use of areas for firewood crops, timber, regeneration fodder and forest. Coconut trees and banana plants yield important by-products, while the indigenous palmyra and neem, plus some other naturally occurring species, are harvested seasonally for their minor produce , providing small but useful incomes.