Speakers:
Ms. Swarnambigai, Manager – Projects, ICCOA
Dr. Vanaja Ramprasad, Managing Trustee, GREEN Foundation
Dr. CSP Patil, Executive Director, GREEN Foundation
Dr. Ravindra Kulkarni, Director Technical, GREEN Foundation
 The inaugural session began with a prayer by Nooronduswami and his team. Dr. Vanaja Ramprasad set the note for the programme by describing the objectives of the programme. The training workshop was meant to be interactive and practical. Often people project organic farming as a farming system that merely stops the use of harmful chemicals; it is however a highly scientific method of farming which takes a holistic approach. The activities of GREEN Foundation were explained – especially initiatives in seed preservation and community owned seed banks for indigenous plant species.
Dr. Vanaja wished the participants a great learning experience ahead.
Ms. Swarnambigai, Manager – Projects, ICCOA spoke on behalf of the organisers and hoped that the participants would find the programme useful.
Dr. CSP Patil, Executive Director, provided a technical overview of the contents of the programme. He recollected the farming methods used by our grandparents – which was by default organic and used resources that were available locally. However, with rising population in India and the food shortages of the 1960, policy makers felt a need for an immediate solution to the food crisis. Increased crop production became the prime objective of the Green Revolution – then began the conflict between chemical and organic farming.
The response to food shortages was like choosing between allopathic (fast acting) and alternative (e.g. homeopathic – slow acting) medicines. Chemical based farming depended on the immediate results that the addition of NPK would have on plants.
 NPK was provided to hybrid food crops in large quantities while other micronutrients were not. Production of food grains shot up but problems grew as well. The foods were less nutritious, poisoned and crops were more prone to pests and diseases. A point was reached where the need to find alternatives became necessary. The organic farming movement stresses that agriculture is a way of life and living and not mere commerce. With commercialisation of farming, natural cycles have been disturbed. Bringing back the balance in nature is therefore the purpose of organic farming.
After the inauguration, all participants introduced themselves and Mr. Prasad, the representative of the Pyramid Trust (the venue) explained about the organisation, the facilities in the campus and offered to help the participants in learning to meditate. |
