Dr Sivaraman
A siddha doctor by profession, Sivaraman spoke about how he began to question the food choices made by the urban consumer. He talked of a farmer killing himself because he had been unable to repay a debt of ₹7500. The farmer is the head of the food chain but is not given the recognition he deserves. While farming is on the decline in this country, we are exporting food grains to the tune of ₹1,40,000 crores annually. Do we really need to wait for another 50 years and regret not taking action, he asks. Uzhave Thalai, to him, was an attempt to pave the way for a connection between the farm labourer and the final consumer.
(Nel) Jayaraman
Nel Jayaraman, who is part of the ‘Save the Rice’ and has saved 169 varieties of heritage rice grains
As a member of the ‘Save the Rice’ campaign Jayaraman was instrumental in saving 169 varieties of heritage rice grains. He spoke about the different kinds of grains, the duration of crop, its profitability, cultivation of paddy with minimal water among other things. He strongly believed that, in order to facilitate seed conservation, seeds must belong to individual farmers, and not seed companies. Sustainable farming, according to Jayaraman, is one where there is an understanding of the relationship between native breeds of cows, rain-fed farming and traditional seeds. He also requested consumers to make educated food choices that will help the farmer, benefit the land and the fragile ecosystem.
Nalla Keerai Jaganathan
R Jaganathan of Nalla Keerai has popularised the Nalla Sandhai Farm to Consumer concept
R Jaganathan of Nalla Keerai has popularised the Nalla Sandhai Farm to Consumer concept
Jaganathan, who popularised the Nalla Sandhai Farm to Consumer concept, took the audience by surprise when he asked Dr Sivaraman why he had invited the speakers for the conference. “Is it because we are all successful agriculturists or because we are organic farmers?” Dr Sivaraman responded that they had been invited to share their success stories in farming. Jaganathan then pointed out that all the 16 speakers were organic farmers. His own foray into growing organic greens happened when he did a few surveys in the rural farming belts of South India. He found that the maximum expenditure in rural households was because of chemicals for the crops that not only ate into the family’s income but also adversely affected their health. He started growing 40 varieties of greens in a small plot. When he co-founded Nalla Keerai with his friends, he began to interact directly with the consumers creating contracts for a monthly or yearly supply of greens. Since greens grow quickly, he found that it could help bridge the transition from chemical to organic farming. According to him, a profit of ₹20,000 a month is possible by growing organic greens in 25 cents of land.
Bablu Ganguly
Bablu Ganguly of Timbaktu Collective have worked towards providing a sustainable lifestyle for people while regenerating ecology and revitalising the local economy
Timbaktu Organic is now a well-known organic brand but the going wasn’t always easy for CK Bablu Ganguly and his wife Mary when they decided to set up an agricultural practice in the drought-afflicted Ananthapur district. What started as 32 acres of barren land is now an awe-inspiring 2800 hectares of forest that is home to over 400 species of flora and fauna and several species of mammals, amphibians, birds, reptiles and insects. The Timbaktu Collective now provides employment to 1190 farming families in 173 villages. They have also empowered a women’s co-operative movement, which has a cash reserve of ₹2 crores. Ganguly and Mary have worked towards providing a sustainable lifestyle for all people with a vision to regenerate ecology and revitalise local economy. Villagers are taught to keep pests away by using natural repellents like neem and swallowwort. Ganguly speaks with pride about how endangered animals like the grey wolf, black buck and leopard have made a comeback. Timbaktu Collective ensures that 50% of all earnings go back to the farmers. He also advocates growing Indian millets, which help attract birds.
Mani Sundar
Mani Sundar believes in organic integrated farming and helping people below the poverty line by offering micro-credit
Mani Sundar is the Trustee of The Garden of Hope Trust as well as of the Micro Credit Foundation. He believes in organic integrated farming and helping people below the poverty line by offering micro credit. According to him, the Tamil word for pesticide, uyir kolli (life killer) says it all. He says it is easy to educate oneself to farm in a conscientious manner: how to save water in the sub-soil, understand the type of landform where the farm is situated, use natural mulching options like sannapai, think of post-harvest technology and the many ways in which value additions can be made to the produce. Income from livestock manure, understanding branding/marketing and getting in touch with the final consumer will help make a profit.
Prakash Raj
If an apartment complex or gated community will adopt a village or a farming community and make a contract for direct transactions, then that would be a win-win situation, says Prakash Raj
It’s not often that a famous actor talks about a profession that is completely different from the one he is known for. A road trip with his daughter led him to realise how disconnected he was from the land. Embracing agriculture in an organic manner has taught him patience and to appreciate the beauty of life. Though it took him three years to understand farming, selling the produce from his farm brought more joy than anything else he had earned. He suggested that the urban consumer think of the uplift of the farmer as an important social responsibility. If an apartment complex or gated community could adopt a rural village or a farming community and make a contract for direct transactions, that would be a win-win situation, as the farmer would receive the full price and the city dweller would be assured of fresh organic produce.
Food for thought
Forge a bond with a local farming community and encourage village shandys
Understand and follow a seasonal diet plan in daily life
Sustainable farming will attract a biodiverse wealth of flora and fauna
Say no to refined oil, polished rice and white sugar
For more information, email uzhavethalai2017@gmail.com
