Using what he describes as “timeless Indian wisdom”, Chandrashekar Hariharan of Factor4 Foundation, Bengaluru, is encouraging people to build a new connect with the earth, environment and small farmers.
A careful reading and proper interpretation of ancient texts such as the encyclopaedic Brihat-Samhita by Varahamihira helps you understand nature better, he says.
Mr. Hariharan was speaking on the sidelines of the two-day summit on environment and economy organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
The ancient texts have descriptions of methods to predict an earthquake using perceivable changes in the atmosphere, to measure rain and to understand soil quality, he says, pointing out that he is using the interpretation of these texts to build a bridge to farming communities.
Factor4 Foundation is now working with 1,600 farmers in Raichur district in Karnataka. The programme is soon being extended to include 5,000 farmers. “My mission is to make smart farmers, to halve resources input and double production,” he says. In this endeavour, the wisdom of ancient India is a tool.
A mahua tree is prescribed for every hectare of cultivated land, for every two hectares there should be a peepal tree, says the ancient text. It helps nitrogen fixation. Vishnu Purana classifies soils into seven categories; Trilokasara says there are seven types of periodic clouds and Brihat-Samhita compares “water veins” below the earth to veins in the human body.
“Smart farming” methods involve reducing water consumption by half, totally avoiding pesticide and using only half the quantity of fertilizers usually applied.
The programme is also drawing farmers away from borewells and encouraging them to conserve water through a slew of measures that include protection of water bodies with the help of local people, involving children in water conservation activities and creating ideal villages that address their water and sanitation needs in an environment-friendly manner, he adds.
