Volume 59 Autumn 2011

WWee thethe NaNavdanvdanyyaa PPeopleeople FFrromom SeedSeed toto FieldField toto PlatePlate •• OrganicOrganic FFairair FineFine FFoodood

Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology/Navdanya A-60, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India Tel.: 91-11-26532561, 26968077 E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Website: www.navdanya.org We do We at Organic Navdanya save seeds, work the fields, harvest, research, BIJA discuss, teach, learn, cook … and enjoy our diverse organic food…

is a quarterly published by the Research Foundation for Science,

Technology and Ecology (RFSTE), Bija Devi, Seedkeeper The laboratory a participatory research initiative, established to provide direction and support to Seed, Food and Water Rights Actions and Navdanya, the Biodiversity, Seed Conservation and Organic Farming Programme, founded by RFSTE in 1987.

Editor: Dr. Vandana Shiva

Volume 59 Autumn 2011

Managing Editor: Dorothea Ruesch (dr) CONTENTS Satish Kumar and Vandana Shiva, Lecturers at Bija Vidyapeeth Seeds of Hope Contributors/Authors: RFSTE/Navdanya Staff, Coordinators and Interns Diversity, Democracy and Wealth per Acre ...... 1 Photos: Navdanya Team and Archive Cover photo: Navdanya From Seed to Field to Plate...... 4 Designed & printed by: Systems Vision My 'Seed-to-Table' week at Sankri...... 12 Rice: Staple Food for Millions and a © Research Foundation for Climate Resilient Crop ...... 14 Science, Technology and Ecology They, together with many others, keep the Farm going… Organic farming changed our lives...... 18 A-60, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India Tel.: 0091-11-26535422, 26968077, 26561868 Sweet as Sugar ...... 20 Fax: 0091-11-26856795, 26962589, 26562093 E-mail: [email protected] Organic Fair Fine Food – Fair Trade at Navdanya...... 22 Website: www.navdanya.org From the land to the city: Navdanya's Vegetable and Fruit Scheme...... 26 Annual Contribution Rates Poison Free Food: Navdanya Members: Included in Membership Fee Organic Farming for Health and Safety ...... 28 Non-Members: Individuals Rs. 150 India Institutions Rs. 200 Launch of Navdanya International ...... 30 Cooks in action Neighbouring Countries Interns' Days at the Farm...... 32 (Pakistan /Nepal/Burma/ Individuals Rs. 200 Bangladesh/Sri Lanka) Institutions Rs. 30 Publications/Outlets...... 34 Other Asian Countries Individuals US$ 10 and Africa Institutions US$ 15 The Organic Shop – Mumbai ...... 35

All other Countries Individuals US$ 25 Bija Vidyapeeth/Upcoming Courses ...... 36 in Europe, America, etc. Institutions US$ 45 Diversity, Democracy and Wealth per Acre

Va n d a n a Sh i v a *

Navdanya stands up for Earth Democracy and Food Sovereignty and contributes to greater Wealth per Acre through seed saving and biodiverse organic farming.

Navdanya’s community seed banks ing 7.5 million homeless. Yet human are living, both in terms of living com- settlements behind healthy mangrove munities that participate and protect forests suffered little. Thus “natural the seed, and in terms of the seeds disasters” have a major component growing, adapting and constantly of “manmade disasters” - both by evolving. Living systems evolve and triggering disasters through climate adapt. Genetically manipulated seed change and by reducing resilience and loses the resilience that adaptive ca- increasing vulnerability to disasters by pacity brings. We protect the seeds destruction of biodiversity. of life and seeds of freedom. The resilience and wide adaptabil- ity of farmers’ seed varieties is clear from the fact that while commercial Conserving biodiver- and public sector varieties of salinity sity as well as resistant rice failed to rehabilitate agriculture in Ersama, Orissa in the cultural diversity, and aftermath of the super cyclone and deepening food and floods of 1999, a farmer’s variety from the Navdanya Project in West Bengal earth democracy proved extremely successful. onserving biodiversity and cul- are Navdanya‘s Farmers have developed and Ctural diversity, and deepening have been using these varieties for food and earth democracy are Nav- goals and ends. over hundreds of years; genetic en- danya’s goals and ends. They are also gineers in multinational companies the means through which we reach Setting up a seed bank involves like Monsanto are just waking up to our goals. collecting seeds, conserving seeds, their potential. When I started Navdanya in 1987, multiplying seeds and distributing The salt tolerant rices that had been my big concern was saving seeds seeds. Each step needs care. Each saved in Orissa were distributed by and biodiversity from the threat of step needs knowledge. Kusum and Ashok to farmers whose patents and genetic engineering. When we started the seed bank in land had become saline because of That is why I started Navdanya by Orissa under the leadership of Kusum the cyclone. This is how we started setting up community seed banks, to Misra (see also p. 14) and Dr. Ashok our ‘Seeds of Hope’ campaign. protect the diversity of our seeds as Panigrahi, we did not anticipate how In 2004, when the tsunami devas- a commons and the freedom of the that effort would help in rejuvenating tated the coastal agriculture in Tamil seed as well as farmers’ freedom to the agriculture of coastal Orissa after Nadu, Navdanya was able to share save and exchange seed. a terrible cyclone hit its coasts. the salt tolerant seeds of Orissa with October 1999 saw the impact of the farmers of Tamil Nadu.

BIJA Autumn 2011 *Dr. Vandana Shiva is the Founder and a ‘super cyclone’ that struck Orissa, Salinisation of soils became a Managing Trustee of RFSTE/Navdanya killing at least 10,000 people and mak- major problem in Orissa, as it did 1 in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. More Navdanya builds food in Kasargod where Endosulfan was than 5203.73 ha of agricultural land sprayed on cashew plantations for in Nagapattinam were affected by sovereignty on the 20 years. More than 9000 people are the tsunami. The saline resistant rice crippled. The innocent victims did varieties that have helped farmers of foundation of seed not cause the toxic pollution. It was Ersama to recover their agriculture sovereignty and caused by powerful corporations work were shared by the Navdanya who influence decisions and have farmers of Orissa with the tsunami biodiversity. Our blocked a ban on Endosulfan - even affected farmers in Nagapattinam. The as people die and children are varieties included Kalam Bank, Kartich principle is: first food born disabled. Patini, Chara Akhi, Dhala Patini, Dud- security for the family On 7th July this year, we organised heswar, Lilabati, Luna and Sola. a conference on ‘Poison Free Food’ On Christmas day, December 25, and community, then to highlight the ecological, economic 2005, I visited the farmers who had and health costs of pesticides. On received the Orissa rices. They were organic food for 13th July, Navdanya intervened resilient both to salinisation caused by the market. with Dr. Ravindranath Shanbhag the tsunami and by floods. The seeds in the Supreme Court case on En- of hope had truly spread. Bija Vidyapeeth at Navdanya’s Con- dosulfan. Navdanya worked with the Joint servation and Organic Farm near Organic farming provides an alter- Directorate of Agriculture and the Dehradun, to learn the principles native to chemical fertilizers. Chemical NGO network in Nagapattinam and practices of biodiverse organic fertilizers kill soil organisms, pollute to distribute saline resistant rice farming. And the Navdanya team water, create dead zones, and emit varieties, to carry out surveys of goes to different parts of the country, nitrogen oxides that destabilize the damage, and to provide training for as well as to Bhutan to work with climate. Chemical fertilizers also use the recovery of agriculture through farmers to go organic. The farmers up scarce public resources. More biodiverse organic farming. The results self-organise as producer groups to money is spent on chemical fertilizers of soil testing in several villages of market their surplus. Our principle than on India’s defense. And as the Nagapattinam showed that the sale is: first food security for the family bomb blasts in Mumbai on July 13th level (EC) of the soils in the affected and community, then organic food showed, chemical fertilizers can also areas had risen for the market. This decentralized be used to make bombs. Again if In 2004, after undertaking a approach based on self-organisation these risks and costs were internalized, yatra through the “suicide belt” of protects biodiversity and deepens chemical farming would be a luxury Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and food democracy. no one could afford. Karnataka, we realized that one of And since Navdanya members Just as we need to move from the reasons for farmers’ suicides was grow biodiversity, there is biodiversity ‘yield per acre’ to ‘health per acre’ the creation of a Monsanto monopoly on our tables and our plates, contribut- to get the true nutritional calculus in seed through Bt. Cotton and the ing to nutrition, taste and quality. of food, we need to move from disappearance of an alternative seed subsidies and false prices to mea- supply Biodiverse and chemical-free suring ‘wealth per acre’ to get the In 2006, when Monsanto / Mahyco Biodiversity on our farms allows us true economic calculus of food. started trials of Bt. Brinjal we started to practice chemical free agriculture. The first shift this makes is assess- community seedbanks saving veg- Chemical fertilizers and pesticides ing the returns the farmers get, not etable seeds in Orissa and Uttar damage the ecology and our health. the profits agrichemical and seed Pradesh. This has become the basis of If these costs were internalized, no corporations make. Navdanya’s organic vegetable supply. one would be able to afford chemical The second shift would include The demand for organic vegetable is agriculture. For example the number of internalizing all externalities – the so high that we had to open an outlet honey bee colonies dropped from 4.4 ecological and health costs of toxics dedicated to organic vegetables. million in 1985 to less than 1.9 million in our food and agriculture. Every seed we save and every in 1997. Honeybees are involved in The final shift it would make is farmer who goes organic provides an pollination providing farmers with an reclaiming the original meaning of alternative to the growing monopoly essential natural service. wealth - which is wellbeing. over seed. A major issue related to toxics is the pesticide Endosulfan. The U.N Committed to organic Food Sovereignty has banned it. Most countries of As a result of over two decades of Navdanya builds food sovereignty on the world have banned it. The dedication, today we are called on

the foundation of seed sovereignty Supreme Court has ordered an in- to support larger efforts to promote BIJA Autumn 2011 and biodiversity. Farmers come to terim ban. 1000 people have died organic farming. 2 On 5th of May, I was invited to There is a new awareness grow- Biodiversity based organic farming a major conference on the Future of ing in India and worldwide that that we promote addresses all three Agriculture held in Washington D.C. business as usual is not an op- crises simultaneously: The conference was opened by HRH tion. Even while the biotechnology • It reduces costs of production thus Prince Charles. and pesticide industry pushes increasing farmers’ income. Besides the Government of Bhutan, genetically modified crops and • It increases production of nutritious the Governments of Madhya Pradesh poisons through unethical and un- healthy food thus offering a solu- and Bihar have made a commitment democratic means, our organic move- tion to hunger and malnutrition. to go organic and are seeking Nav- ment grows. danya’s support. • And it is resilient to climate change On 19th May, I was invited by Addressing the crisis thus lowering the risks of small and the Government of Madhya Pradesh Today we face a triple emergency: marginal farmers. to the launch of their organic initia- The emergency of the agrarian crisis Contrary to the myth promoted tive, and on 22nd of June, the Bihar and farmers’ suicides, the emergency by agribusiness, organic farming can Government invited me to the launch of hunger and malnutrition, and the feed the world while protecting the of theirs. climate emergency planet.

We need to measure ‘health per acre’ to get the true nutritional calculus of food, and ‘wealth per acre’ to get the true economic one. We have to reclaim the original BIJA Autumn 2011 meaning of wealth – which is wellbeing. 3 From Seed to Field to Plate – Women, the Providers of Good Food

The multiple faces of Navdanya’s Mahila Anna Swaraj Programme (Women’s Food Sovereignty Programme) and how it impacts women’s lives.

Ma y a Go b u r d h u n , Di r e c t o r Na v d a n y a Vi n o d Bh a t t , De p u t y Di r e c t o r Ra g u b i r Si n g h Ra w a t , Pr o g r a mm e Co o r d i n a t o r

ince time immemorial women Food Industry giants. Processing too experts”, Navdanya launched its Shave been the producers, pro- slipped away from women’s hands Mahila Anna Swaraj programme in cessors and providers of food - not into the mega processing units of 2003, to put back Food Security, just food but Good Food. It took a these giants. The disastrous results Food Safety and Food Sovereignty couple of centuries for the scenario of this greed-led phenomenon into women’s hands. to be completely reversed. Agri- upon health, ecology and livelihoods The Mahila Anna Swaraj pro- culture shifted from farmers’ hands are well documented. In the face gramme operates at several to scientists’ labs - scientists driven of this unviable situation, recogniz- levels. On one hand, under this by the corporate interests of the ing women as “the traditional food programme Navdanya sources BIJA Autumn 2011 Women from Rudraprayag present their products during a Mahila Anna Swaraj Meeting at the Navdanya Farm. 4 A women’s group in the Garhwal Himalayas processes fruits.

artisanally processed products from In the following women from food processing, keeping alive for- already existing women’s groups Garhwal tell about their groups and gotten or heritage grains like millets, such as the Mahila Charkha Samiti about how the ‘Samooh’ becomes a red rice or spices and running home and Jiyo or informal women’s col- very empowering and liberating fun stays to give the full Seed to Table lectives as the ones in Mumbai space, where women work, sing and experience to those who want to and Balasore. dance, manage funds, in a spirit of sample it. These products range from a solidarity and independence. As they share what it means to be diversity of pickles to a diversity of For the purpose of this article, part of a Mahila Anna Swaraj Samooh, papadoms (ed. thin, crisp lentil flour the women have been chosen from we get a whiff of how the Seed to bread with different flavours), and samoohs which are engaged in Table movement unfolds. badis (ed. dried lentil dumplings). They are unique not only because of their gentle processing and light carbon footprints but also be- cause their taste is authentic, original and distinctive; they are as such a symbol of women’s age old food wisdom. On the other hand, Navdanya encourages women of the villages where it works to organize themselves into a Mahila Anna Swaraj Samooh

BIJA Autumn 2011 (Women’s Food Sovereignty Self- Help Group). Handmade by women: Tasty papadoms (left) and badis. 5 Juna Devi (50) from village Saur in which we sell to Navdanya. Navdanya of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Uttarkashi is a member of the Kedar also procures rajma, amaranth, buck- production of potato is merely 4 to Katha Mahila Anna Swaraj Samooh wheat, etc. from different Anna Swaraj 5 times of the seed rate, whereas in since 2003. groups in other villages. Besides our village we are getting a potato Before joining the Navdanya move- Navdanya, we also sell our produce production more than 7 times the ment she was a farmer, struggling to in local markets and through district seed rate. This is more or less the run her life - like most others in her and block level exhibitions. Now same for other crops. region. Being a Samooh member has each woman of our group is earning I look after the community seed transformed her into an empowered, enough money to fulfil her needs. We bank. We are saving 28 types of crop informed and outspoken woman. This feel proud because now we do not seeds. All these crops are being culti- is her story: have to request our family members vated every year and consumed by the << Navdanya encouraged us to start for money. villagers. We have three varieties of a group and some income generating There are about 120 families in buckwheat- Fafra, Chawari and Ogal, activities. We formed a group with our village and almost everybody is two varieties of amaranth, two varieties nine members. Now our group has an organic farmer. Since we joined of chenopodium and seven varieties a joint bank account at Uttarakhand the Navdanya movement in 2003, of rajmas (kidney beans). Gramin Bank at Naitwar. we do not use chemical fertilizers Navdanya also encouraged us to Navdanya trained the members and pesticides. Now we all are self keep a room in our house to host in processing local fruits and flow- reliant: we have our own seeds, and visitors who come to our village to ers - both wild and cultivated - like we make our own compost and herbal see Navdanya’s work in the region. apple, amil (seabuckthorn) and burans pesticides. Navdanya trained us how Thus we also earn from hosting guests (rhododendron flower). Navdanya to increase soil fertility and control who pay for staying and for food. We also gave us utensils and tools required pests and diseases by using available are grateful to Navdanya for having for processing. Now, we are also natural resources. Now our crop yields made our life better within a few years collecting raw material and juice have stabilized and are increasing time. We take pride in being a part from other Mahila Anna Swaraj Groups every year. In the past seven years of the Navdanya movement which is of Fitari and Gangar and process yields have almost doubled. In village trying to make poor villagers happy them into squashes, jam and jelly, Jakhol where farmers are using a lot and self reliant. >>

Saur village, Uttarkashi: Members of the local Mahila Anna Swaraj group at the entrance to their seed bank. BIJA Autumn 2011

6 Rameshwari Devi (47) is a seedkeeper More than 80 percent of our an important food for daily consump- who conserves millets in village Ramol- farming depends on natural rain fall. tion in the villages. I have also seen gaon of Pratapnagar, Tehri Garhwal: So as a security against drought we many high profile people joyfully << I got married at the age of 18. cultivate Mota Anaj (millets) and Dal eating Jhangora and Mandua at the I still remember my father’s words (pulses). There was no market for the Navdanya farm in Dehradun. There before marriage: “Do farming for food millets like Mandua (finger millet) and we felt proud that the poor man’s food security and rear goats to earn money”. Jhangora (Barnyard millet). They used got such a high praise amongst the From my childhood, I had a great inter- to be treated as too inferior food for elite as well. est in and an affinity for farming. human consumption. But, Navdanya I am also a member of Khushhali We were using chemical fertilizers re-established the age old reputation Mahila Anna Swaraj Samooh initiated some years back. But from 2007 on- of these crops through scientifically by Navdanya. I bear the responsibility wards we have been doing organic proven and convincing arguments. of treasurer of the group. We have a farming. This is thanks to Rukmani, Now millets – which earlier people joint bank account. There are eight Navdanya’s regional coordinator who were feeding to cattle - have become more such types of groups working worked hard to motivate the farmers in other villages of the area and each to adopt sustainable organic farming group has 20 women members. Nav- practices. danya procures Jhangora and White I went to the Navdanya Biodiversity Bhat (traditional white soybean) from farm in Dehradun with other farmers all these Anna Swaraj Groups. There for training; there we got recipes of is also a great demand for Awa Jao various techniques of organic farming. (‘naked’ barley) which is again a I also brought earthworms from the traditional crop grown in our region Navdanya farm and multiplied them for generations. at my home. Now, many farmers in The changing climate is leading to the village are making vermicompost. failure of many crops - either due to We also use Jeevamrit, Ghanamrit, and drought or heavy rainfall. These are Mataka Khad on our farm. All these very tough times to survive. Navdanya techniques helped a lot in enhancing is helping us in this situation by pro- our crop production. Now our produc- viding climate resilient seeds of those tion is almost double of what we were crops that have failed totally in the getting six years back when we were region. The most important is that using chemical fertilizers. Now we are Navdanya provides us moral support not just getting more yields but are Finger Millet (Ragi / Mandua) is today again and alternatives to face the changing also saving in input costs. an appreciated food. climate. >>

Sunita Devi (31) of village Chanika cally when we didn’t use chemical wheat crop. We lost our traditional in Uttarkashi is a farmer and also fertilizers. Actually we were caught long straw wheat variety, known as the treasurer of Kutalti Mahila Anna in a desperate situation. Our area is Misri wheat. I firmly believe that our Swaraj Samooh. She tells how pros- known for a unique variety of red Misri is one of the tastiest wheat in perity was brought back to her vil- rice - very tasty, highly nutritious and the world. Luckily the situation has lage through the conservation of red a coarse grain rice variety – which changed after the intervention of rice paddy: responded badly to chemical fertiliz- Navdanya. Now no farmer in our vil- << Till 2004 we had a misconcep- ers. The crop lodged when we used lage uses chemical fertilizers. tion in our mind that chemical fertil- a lot of chemical fertilizers, especially We now use well decomposed izers like urea and DAP are essential urea, due to excessive growth of the compost, vermicompost, Jeevamrit for good yields. This was actually stalk. Government extension officials and Ghanamrit instead of chemical inculcated by the government agri- introduced short straw varieties of fertilizers, and we get better returns culture extension officials. But after rice to avoid lodging. Thus some than the chemical farmers. During the some time we observed that our land farmers started growing new high past six years, the production of red got addicted to the chemical fertilizers yielding varieties. But farmers were paddy has increased from 10 quintal BIJA Autumn 2011 because production reduced drasti- also using chemical fertilizers in their to 14 quintal per acre. 7 Navdanya procures all excess red is deposited in the joint account of This will solve our problem of milling paddy from our group. All transactions the group. rice in the village itself and will help are done through a bank account. In During her recent visit Dr. Shiva us in selling red rice instead of the addition to the cost, an extra 2 percent agreed to support our group in es- paddy, which will definitely increase of the total procurement price is also tablishing a good quality rice mill. our profit margin. >> deposited for our group for collecting the paddy in the village from farmer members. The price of red paddy has increased from Rs. 8/kg in 2006 to Rs. 22/kg in 2011. Much of our red rice is also going to Himachal Pradesh. Our group bank account is growing very fast. Whenever guests or school kids visit our village, our group prepares a community lunch for them, and of course we get paid An appetizing red rice dish for our good services. All this money

Harshi Devi (27) is an organic farmer 2010. It consists of ten women mem- 2-5 percent additional amount is and the president of Durga Mata bers. We have a bank account at the given to our Samooh for collection Mahila Anna Swaraj Samooh from State Bank of India at Agastyamuni, and handling the produce. village Ginwala. She cultivates more about 3 km from the village. We have Navdanya opened the way for than 15 crops in her 1.5 acre farm regular monthly meetings on the 16th marketing of organic Jhangora (Barn- land: turmeric, garlic and white bhat of every month. Each member of the yard millet) and Mandua (finger mil- (soya) as cash crop and wheat, paddy, group is saving Rs. 50 per month. let). Once sold for 2-3 rupees, now jhangora, mandua, kulath, urad, tuar, We provide loans to needy members. Mandua and Jhangora are fetching rayans (ed. the latter four are differ- All the accounts are managed as per Rs.14 to 20 per kilo, which is more ent dals) and vegetables for home guidelines of Navdanya, and its field than for wheat. consumption: staff provides us with trainings from We won’t forget the contribution << All the farmers in our village are time to time. Our women’s group of Navdanya in making our life better. organic farmers since 1999 when we has earned Rs. 1800 as commission We are confident that we are capable formed a Navdanya Jaiv Panchayat. by collection of turmeric and white of not only solving our problems Through the Jaiv Panchayat we were bhat soya from other Navdanya farmer but earning extra money through able to protect our village forest. members. Navdanya is giving us 10 organizing ourselves. Navdanya has Our Durga Mata Anna Swaraj to 15 percent more than the local shown us light which we’ll never let Samooh came in existence in January market for our organic produce, and go off. >>

Garlic and turmeric are cash crops for the women farmers of Durga Mata Mahila Anna Swaraj group in village Ginwala. BIJA Autumn 2011

8 The following profiles of women from the Garhwal Himalayas are excerpted from ‘Twenty Women Farmers’, a compilation prepared by Navdanya interns

La k s h m i Ea ss e y , Ev a Mu n k -Ma d s e n , Ha n n a h Cl a x t o n

Asha Bhatt divides her life between help each other in the fields. The small or to give the children pocket the house she and her family rent Samoune group has started a small money.” by the main road in Sauri Vinowapuri, business in Vinowapuri collecting, When asked how to make a good and the farm belonging to her buying, cleaning and packing crops women’s group, she replies, “Work father-in-law in Chond, 12 km by from organic certified farmers in in unity. Anyone who is not doing road and 5 km by foot up the the area. The cleaning work takes agriculture should do agriculture mountain. place on Asha’s veranda, and once and get grain. Money can be found When she was married, Asha the crops are packed they are sent anywhere, but the grain we can only moved with her husband, Grish Bhatt, to Delhi to be sold. Each woman is find in the field, not in the bank.” to Delhi, where he worked in sales and paid an individual day rate for her Asha has also recently trained to she worked as an embroiderer. Four work and then the group receives a be a weaver and works with a local years ago, they decided they wanted small percentage of the overall buy- NGO and six other women to make to move back to the mountains to ing budget from Navdanya, which is shawls, stoles and mufflers in Sauri do farming, and for her husband to then paid into the Samoune communal Vinowapuri. The NGO provides the pursue ‘flori-culture’ - growing, culti- bank account. wool and cotton, and also facilitates vating and selling flowers. Today the the sales of the products at stores and family is making hundreds of garlands exhibitions in Agastyamuni, Dehradun for Diwali from 150 kg of marigolds and Delhi. that come from their farm and other Asha balances her life between farms in the area. the roadside at Sauri Vinowapuri and Being close to the road allows “the village” (Chond). She says; “Our Asha’s two children to go to school children study here (near the road). and university in nearby Agastyamuni. The family will have problems if I Asha spends an average of two to stayed in the village. From here I can three days each week at the farm take care of everything.” It is impor- in Chond, helping her 84-year-old tant for Asha that her children get a father-in-law work 100 nali (ed. 1 good education: “If the children nali = approx. 200 square metres) of are studying in a good school and land. The family refers to the old man everything is ok, that is khushali as ‘superman’ because he is so hard (well being).” Her eldest daughter working. Asha has no time for rest Lavleen hopes to become a university when she goes to the farm. She says professor. that she does “everything” when she In front of the house in Sauri is there. The farm has two buffaloes, Vinowapuri, a new hydroelectric a cow, a dog, a cat, flower meadows, dam is being built. Tunnels are be- fields for fodder, vegetables, as well ing made through the mountainside as crops such as rice, dals, wheat, using explosives day and night. millet and amaranth. They recently Asha Bhatt, 38, When the tunnels and dam are Sauri Vinowapuri village and Chond village, planted a guava orchard of 400 trees, Mandakini valley, Rudraprayag district completed, water from the river will of which 250 have survived. Asha be diverted through the centre of brings food back from the farm for At the monthly group meetings, the mountain. Asha complains about the family. Sometimes she exchanges each member of the group contributes the dust, which is everywhere. She a small amount of crops for salt, oil an additional Rs 20 a month to the also tells us how the villagers are or pulses. communal bank account. The group concerned about the future effects Asha is a member of the Samoune then uses the money to make small the power plant will have on their Mahila Anna Swaraj. Samoune means community loans. Asha says the group lives. She says they worry about ‘a taste of home’ or a home-made gift. is good because “we are doing work increased landslides in the area, the The group is based in Vinowapuri but and we get a profit. If I have some possibility of flooding if the dam breaks many of the women live in Chond. money then I save it in my own bank and that the water in the river below BIJA Autumn 2011 Those who live close are able to account, or use it to buy something “will be lost”. 9 Sarojani Devi has four daughters is a very big problem with monkeys”, exchanges them with others in the between age 14 and 20. All of them she adds. village. The women’s group started are in school. Sarojani manages It is hard work to be a farmer, in January and has already collected 40 nali of land all by herself. Her according to Sarojani. Since January, Rs. 5,000 to Rs 6,000. “We discuss daughters are unable to assist her she has had support in the form of what work we have to do, about seeds, and her husband cannot plough the local Mahila Anna Swaraj group. how to make compost” says Sarojani, because he is ill. Her husband says She collects all kinds of seeds and and “we also sing songs together”. that no one will farm here in the Sarojani believes it is important future once the daughters have for her daughters to be educated so moved to the families of their hus- that they can “do well with farming.” bands, but Sarojani says: “If we can, Already she is teaching her daughters we will do it, if we cannot, then we to make roti, to weed, to make com- don’t know.” post, to clean. Sarojani came to Sauri when she Concerning her daughters’ future, was 18 years old. Before marrying, she says: “That depends on luck. If she only learned how to cook. She they can do a job that will be good, if says that In Tonada village where she they do agriculture then too they will was born there was another type of do well.” Sarojani thinks studies help farming that uses more water. “Here to do farming. She herself gained a the work is different.” better understanding of how much to After Sarojani was married, her sow which helps not to waste seeds. mother-in-law taught her farming. Sarojani is able to tell if a seed is good “She taught me ‘little little’ until I knew or not by the yield. everything; it takes three to five years Her husband believes it is im- to gain experience in farming. portant to grow food, because then Sarojani says that she grows it will be “pure.” According to her "everything.” Generally, the family is husband, if the rain is good they able to support itself from the land, Sarojani Devi, 38, exchange some crops for salt, and if but “due to climate change we have Sauri village, Mandakini valley, the harvest is enough, they sell some to buy food sometimes.” And, “there Rudraprayag district of the crops.

Meeting of Mahila Anna Swaraj groups from different regions at BIJA Autumn 2011 Navdanya’s Biodiversity and Conservation Farm near Dehradun. 10 Shivday Metha (35), Jassi Metha has a cow and a calf. The milk is do their work in the field. If we do (34) and Anita Metha (23) are used for chai; they don’t make but- no work, only grass will grow and sisters-in-law and all live in the same ter or ghee. that is no good.” household in Souri with their mother- They always work together and There are two problems in farming: in-law. Shivday’s and Anita’s husbands when asked, they agree that they the monkeys and the weather. Their live and work in Bombay while Jassi’s like everything about farm work. No mother-in-law explains: “Where the husband has a shop by the road and one is superior when they make deci- monkeys used to live they are now lives at home. It is mainly Jassi Metha sions about farming, as they share the doing construction (hydro-power), so who speaks, but they all seem to be same knowledge. However, the two now the monkeys are coming here. in agreement. elder ones still teach the younger. The weather has also changed. Some- “We have little land – 15 nali, that They all grew up in farming families, times it doesn’t rain and sometimes is not enough to feed our families. but “in our parents’ village we were we get heavy rain.” We have to buy food.” Their moth- only students and did kitchen work. Other than farming they do a er-in-law adds, “We can get food We learned farming here”. Their little sewing. All of them are part of from farming, but we have a problem mother-in-law has taught them. a Mahila Anna Swaraj group. At their with monkeys. They [her daughters- Concerning seed-saving they discuss last meeting they had foreign visitors in-law] do hard work and then the which seeds to collect; it is a sharing from Navdanya. Normally they collect monkeys destroy the crops.” Jassi of experience. money, discuss about seeds or com- Metha continues: “We can grow As their husbands have jobs out- post and exchange knowledge. They 2-3 months worth of food per year. side the village they could buy all also have fun at meetings. “You don’t The food we grow is better than the the food they need; however they know our language. We also make food we buy; it is fresh and better believe it is important to continue fun of you, but you don’t know. This for health.” Each of the three women farming the land. “Everyone should is also fun.”

Second from left: Shivday Metha, 35, with her daughter

BIJA Autumn 2011 Centre: Anita Metha, 23, with her young daughter Right: Jassi Metha, 34, Sauri village, Mandakini valley, Rudraprayag district 11 My “Seed-to-Table” week at Sankri

Tiphaine Bu r b a n *

nce upon a time, I decided to Once in Purola, 6 hours later, I took Once I stepped out of the car, Oleave the Bija Vidyapeeth farm a jeep, directly to Sankri. I took a moment to breathe in one for a week to figure out whether On the road, I slowly consumed huge gulp of air that condensed all or not this ‘organic bubble’ was the wonderful vistas of the Himalayas, of the beauty and peace into one unique. terrace farming, traditional archi- moment. In this little village, 3 days A simple enough task, for those tecture, and the warm welcome of trekking away from Harki-Dun, I was who don't get carsick! I just needed Garhwali people. I excitedly awaited surrounded by snow peaks and gently to wake up early to catch the bus at the moment we pulled into the sloping terraces as I settled into my 6.30am at Dehradun's railway station. village. new house.

*Tiphaine Burban, 21, is a political science student from France. She was a Navdanya intern from BIJA Autumn 2011 January to June 2011. (See also Interns’ Days at the Farm, page 32) 12 Balbeer, Navdanya’s coordinator and healthy. It requires an incredible selves. When Balbeer's sister, Juna, for Sankri area, was the perfect host. energy to be a woman in Sankri. dressed me in one of her white coats In a wooden house in the village of This is what I may have liked the called Farji, I felt like a princess! Sour, a part of Sankri, I found a little most about my time in Sankri: my Finally, Sankri is situated in a mar- piece of home. My room was an invit- participation with them in their daily vellous valley. When I was not working ing cocoon but the smiles of Balbeer’s work. Once again, it was an experience in front of a mountain view, or when family prevented me from running of biodiversity. I helped cutting grass I wasn't staring at the clouds on the under the warm blanket for a nap! In- for the cows and carrying it into the snow peaks drinking a chai and listen- troductions were made over steaming Kanda from the field on the hill to the ing to family stories, I had some time cups of tea, and I could already feel house, weeding the rice field, plough- to explore Sankri's nature. On the way that this week promised me a great ing the field for the next rajma crop, up to Juda's Lake or down to the river, experience. And so it was... drying the wheat and threshing it with I was audience to an unimaginable Let's start with the beginning, the the oxen, sowing pumpkin seeds and biodiversity: from golden mushrooms food! Without food, there is no work, spreading compost, cooking for 200 to flowers with extra long tongues to without food, there are less convivial persons, attending Vandana Shiva's bugs with extraordinary wings! moments of sharing, and without meeting and sharing their activism. After one week, it was difficult to its amazing food, Sankri would lose All those activities were, for me, an leave this place - its villagers, its food, some of its charm! In fact, every meal intensive lesson in organic farming and its landscape. However, it is now in this village is an experience of tasty in the Himalaya in early June. Even part of me. It was an intense life lesson diversity. During the week, almost though I tried my best to help Kamla, that filled me with passion and energy every meal we enjoyed was different. Balbeer's sister, and other women to defend our nature, our cultures and I tried Seeda, two roti of rice flower of the village in their work, I had the authenticity of such exchanges. stuffed with black wheat flower mixed to recognize that to be a woman in Full of muscle aches but physically with sugar and also, my new favourite, Sankri I would need the deep wisdom and mentally much stronger, I left Aska, a steamed sweet roti of rice which is the result of a lifetime spent that cool place in the early morning, flower that you dip into ghee before working at the heart of the harsh and remembering all the moments I spent savouring. They also mix rice with beautiful mountains. The strength of with those “Pirates of the Himalayas”, other grains - practicing biodiversity those women to “produce life and as I love to call them. right on your plate. What I will miss provide sustenance” as Vandana Shiva My stay in Sankri, though ethereal most is the emphasis on dairy in the evocates in Staying Alive, is beautiful. and evocative of a fairy tale, is a real diet; we always enjoyed dahi, milk, and They embody physically this strong story. There are definitely other ‘or- ghee at the meals. Thanks cows for beauty, challenging all models. ganic bubbles’, other heavens where keeping Sankri a calcium-rich place! They promote another century’s convictions and passion challenge During all the meals, I was im- fashion on their thin but strong bod- destructive modernism. It was worth pressed by the quantity that the ies that they cover with pure woollen seeing it to remain optimistic for our women, once they have fed all the fam- coats and vests they design them- future! ily, could eat. After an amaranth cutlet, they sometimes enjoyed a Karku, pure ball of dough made of wheat flower and dipped in ghee, before eating a full plate of rice and dal. Amazing

In Sankri village: Tiphaine, Navdanya Intern, enjoys preparing roti. BIJA Autumn 2011

13 Rice: Staple Food for Millions and a Climate Resilient Crop

Ku s u m Mi s r a *

Orissa in Eastern India has a long and rich history of rice cultivation. Today, Navdanya puts much emphasis on Oriya’s Drought, Flood and Salt Tolerant Rice Varieties that ‘blossom’ also under difficult climatic conditions.

ice is a cereal foodstuff which Rice Bowl Orissa • Salt tolerant varieties Rforms an important part of the Rice cultivation originated as early as • Flood tolerant varieties diet of many people worldwide; it is 10 thousand B.C. in Asia. It is believed • Drought tolerant varieties a staple food for millions, especially in Orissa is the place of origin of the tall tropical Latin America and most parts indica rice varieties. Cultivated under The diversity also includes two of Asia, making it the most consumed the protective care of the rice cultiva- other unique rice varieties, such as cereal grain. tors, diversities in thousands appeared • Aromatic varieties Rice provides more than one fifth over centuries. At one point of time • Therapeutic (medicinal) varieties. of the calories consumed by humans there were more than 15-25 thousand worldwide. of these varieties widely cultivated in Additionally, these rice variet- A traditional food plant in Asia, rice Orissa. As of now there are just about ies also sustain drought to some has the potential to sustain nutrition a thousand of them with the rest hav- extent. in the face of climate change and ing vanished under the impact of the The indigenous rice varieties are strengthen food security, foster rural green revolution. Navdanya Orissa a result of interactions of Darwinian development and support sustainable has, however, conserved about seven factors as natural selection and artificial land care. hundred of these varieties, and the selection and mutation over centuries. number is increasing gradually every Few Orissa farmers continue to pos- passing year with diversities appearing sess some of these rice diversities in the conservation field. (if not all) till date in order to meet Like the varied soil types, Orissa their diverse domestic consumption is also endowed with varied eco- needs. climatic conditions. The West and In view of the climate change, it North West are drought-prone, the is projected that an increase in the East, is partly salt- and flood- and environmental temperature by 40C partly only flood-affected, and the would reduce rice yield by 10%. But South is flood-prone. rice has been found to be quite cli- The average annual precipitation mate resilient. Literature suggest that rate in Orissa is over 2,000 mms, rice as a crop originally flourished in sometimes reaching ± 3,000 mms the dry climate of central Asia, and and at other times, ± 1,100 mms as in later spread to the flood plains of 2009. Orissa has, however, abundant tropical Asia and thus evolved the diversity of the three climate adapted low land rice varieties with better rice varieties cultivated on thousands yield. The salt tolerant varieties also

*Kusum Misra is Navdanya’s Seedkeeper in of hectares of moderate to extreme evolved the same way in the coastal BIJA Autumn 2011 Orissa since fourteen years. eco-climatic conditions; such as flood plains. 14 Salt affected coastal rice land at Sartha Estuary, Balasore, Orissa: (left) High yielding variety, (right) Native variety.

Climate change is a happening. The in the 1980s – using less seed and degrees of salt stress have specific seasons have become unpredictable; water and no chemical fertilizers and salt management strategies; that is, the quantum and frequency of rains, pesticides.) The introduction of new they are either excluders or excreters droughts and saline inundations have seed varieties over a long distance (secreters) or both. increased substantially. Consequently, may have been an additional factor of These management mechanisms paddy as a crop is getting affected, enhanced tillering – more the distance, are found widely in the mangroves but it is more so with the hybrids greater the number! and a few allied species. In some and high yielding varieties. However, In the entire plant kingdom, only excluders the roots are adapted to the climate adapted rice varieties that a few varieties of plants have the prevent entry of salt into the plant evolved naturally, sustain the impacts ability to grow and sustain in salt body. In others, the salt is packed of climate change because of their stress environment. When it comes into vacuoles in the cells and thus inherent ability to adjust, adapt and to the members of the family Poaceae kept away. In yet others the salt sustain to provide yield. (grasses), the number is limited to is packed into old and dying Porteresia coarctata and one or two leaves which soon fall off and thus Salt tolerant native rice varieties of Oryza sativa indica. It excluded. In the excreters, however, Under present estimate 10-35% of is because broadly plant growth is there is a mechanism of regular salt the world’s agricultural land is salt limited by salt stress. The plants elimination through salt glands and affected. The mechanism of salt toler- that are adapted to sustain varied salt hairs located in the leaves. ance in nature has evolved slowly, over a long period of rice cultivation in the saline affected coastal belt of Orissa (and else where). There appears di- versity in salt tolerance as well; some extreme, others moderate. Seeds of Orissa’s salt tolerant land races such as Lunabakada, Bhundi, Kalambank and Dhala sola were provided to farmers under Navdanya’s ‘Seeds of Hope’ programme in post-tsunami Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu) and in Indonesia. They caused miracles and produced, on an average, 35 and 54 tillers respectively with the SRI culti- vation method. (ed. System of Rice

BIJA Autumn 2011 Intensification is a method of paddy cultivation – started in Madagascar 15 Porteresia coarctata is probably an excluder as neither any salt gland nor any salt hair is found in the leaves. The salt tolerant Oryza varieties are also salt excluders. Any salt that finds its way into the plant body may also be packed in to the old and dying leaves and thus suitably eliminated from the plant. Salt exclusion in plants is basically governed by a gene– antioxidative enzyme system. The concerned enzymes are catalase (CAT) guiacol peroxidase (POX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) which are present in the root of the plant. The gene is a naturally developed one. The salt tolerant rice varieties are like Porteresia, salt excluders although to a limited extend and have the ability to sustain limited salt stress. Oriya farmers - A grain of rice can tip the scale… Hybrid and HYV rice varieties, so and bold grain (Bhaliki). Lemma colour rice varieties like Khandagiri mostly common these days, fail to sustain wise they are of 3 categories: white during rabi season. About 5/6 years saline inundation and hence, cannot (Dudheswar), red (Mayurkantha) ago we started to cultivate the HYV be cultivated in hundreds of thousand and black (Bhundi). One among the rice during kharif for better yield but hectares of coastal saline inundated salt tolerant rice land races such as the same was destroyed by saline flood plains all over the world, espe- Sankarchin is aromatic. inundations. Hence, we had to revert cially in tropical Asia. back to the salt tolerant land races. Researches currently being carried Farmers get back to land races Before we never sought about seed out in India and abroad to ‘develop’ exchange and never understood the climate tolerant rice varieties are un- Ajamil Mandal from Sartha Estuaryin importance.>> necessary. Conservation and propaga- Balasore says: tion of the natural climate adapted <> BIJA Autumn 2011

16 A taste of rice

All the salt tolerant rice varieties are invariably good to taste and cook well. Flattened rice and parched rice made out of Askani, Bhundi, Kalambank, Sola and Patini etc are the most appreciated ones. Sankarchin is the preferred rice for kheer.

Kusum’s Rice Recipes

Ghee Rice Ingredients: 500 g Aromatic Rice 2 onions each cut into 8 pcs 5 cloves of garlic 6 pcs. of clove 5 pcs of cardamom 5 bay leaves 10 pcs of cashew nut 10 pcs of raisin (soaked in water for 10 minutes) 1 tbs. of sugar 1½cup of cow-ghee salt to taste. Method: Soak the rice for 15 minutes and strain. Heat ghee in a thick bottom vessel and fry cashew nuts in it till they turn golden brown. Remove the nuts and keep them aside. Add raisin and toss them for a while, remove and keep aside. Add onions and garlic fry them until their colour changes, remove and keep aside. Add cardamom, cloves and bay leaves, toss them a little and add strained rice and fry for 10 minutes. Add double the quantity of boiling water and bring it to boil. Add sugar and salt to taste. Reduce the flame and cover the vessel. Allow it to remain so till rice is cooked. Decorate the rice with cashew and raisin and serve hot.

Mung Manda (Mung stuffed rice balls) Ingredients: 500 g non parboiled rice 250 g Mung dal 200 g Jaggery 5-6 pcs of cardamom, powdered 1 tsp fennel cooking oil to fry Method: Soak the rice in water for 4 to 5 hours, remove and strain. Grind it to fine powder and sieve it. Place a vessel with 1 litre of water on flame and allow it to boil. Add salt to taste. Pour the rice powder slowly in to the boiling water and continue to stir till the duff is formed without any lumps. Remove the vessel and allow it to cool. Make medium size balls out of the duff and keep aside. Place a kadai on flame, dry-fry mung dal till its aroma is conspicuous. Pour boiled water in to it with little salt and allow it to boil till mung is made soft. Add jaggery and stir until all extra water is removed and the mung mass become sticky. Add cardamom powder and fennel and remove the kadai from flame. Remove the stuff material and keep aside. Flatten the rice balls, put mung stuff on them and fold the edges to come in contact with each other and fuse them manually using water. Place the kadai on flame and pour cooking oil in to it, wait till the oil is hot. Place the stuffed balls in to the hot oil and fry till they turn gentle brown. Remove them from oil and serve. BIJA Autumn 2011

17 Organic farming changed our lives

Vi n o d Ku m a r Bh a t t

An account of how switching to organic farming and becoming a part of the Navdanya movement has made lives better for Rajasthani farmers.

evi Singh Barhat of village members. Devi Singh’s daughter and “Before joining Navdanya we were DUdaipur Khurd in Rajasthan is a a grand daughter (daughter of the not earning enough to cover the day- happy organic farmer. Udaipur Khurd eldest son) are married and have two to-day needs for our family. I had also is 10 km from Kishangarh, about 1 children each. to work in other people’s fields as a km off the Jaipur-Udaipur highway, labourer. Now I am earning enough and the Ajmer district headquarter The way to prosperity for my family and have a good house, is 30 km away. According to Devi Singh, Navdanya a motorbike and a bank account”, tells 70 years old Devi Singh is the father and Shivraj Singh brought prosperity Shivraj. He, together with his father, of a daughter and four sons. Shivraj to his family. They came in contact works the fields. He also, together Singh, his third son, is now looking with Navdanya through their young- with another person, looks after the after the family’s 60 bigha (12 acre) est son, Sumer, who is associated oil expeller which Navdanya had land. The other sons work outside with Navdanya since many years. donated to the community. the village, but they all religiously Shivraj says that his younger brother Shivraj’s mother and his wife look come together every year, at least told them all to join Navdanya a long after the home and the cattle. They twice or thrice, during the holidays time back, but finally they joined the have three buffalos and three calves, of their children. The family has 16 movement in 2007. of which two will start giving milk by BIJA Autumn 2011

18 the end of this year. They also had four after the ghani. The farmers have a village seed bank. It will be run by cows of local breed, which they sold employed a young man, an organic the group under the leadership of in the drought year of 2009. farmer from a neighbouring village, Mrs. Aas Kanwar, wife of Devi Singh, On their 12 acres of land the family for running the ghani. The committee who also donated land for the bank. grows mung, lobia, moth, bajra, jowar charges Rs. 40 for processing 10 kg Aas Kanwar is very excited about and gwar in the monsoon season, and of oil seed. In 2010 the group earned the seed bank which was completed barley, chick pea and mustard in the Rs. 8000 making oil. Earlier, farmers recently. They started the ‘seed bank’ winter season. After adopting organic had to travel 15 km from their village in a corner of their home in 2009 dur- techniques their production has gone for processing their oil seed. Some- ing the drought to save the seeds of up by 25-40 percent depending on the times their whole day was wasted in the region. “Now we have a special crop. 2009 was a year of drought, but waiting for their turn because of the building for our seed bank, which we even then they could get some crop long queue. will use also for farmers meetings and in some of their fields, whereas, other training. Navdanya’s field staff along farmers, who were doing chemical with Dr. Shiva visits us regularly to farming, could not even get the seed guide and help us to make our life for the next crop. better”, says Aas Kanwar. “Now several farmers of our village and neighbouring villages No longer in the dark started organic farming. There are 15 Shivraj says he will not forget the organic farmers in our village now”, contribution of Navdanya in making says Shivraj with a bright light in his his life meaningful. “A few years back eyes. “Five farmers of Udaipur Kalan I was working in others’ fields to look and four of village Godyana joined A proud Devi Singh mentions after my family; now I am giving em- Navdanya in 2008. Now more and that his son Shivraj started vermi- ployment to other people and guide more are joining our fruitful associa- composting in 2009, and that since them to make their life better. Now tion. I am asking other farmers to go then the District Magistrate of Ajmer I am earning enough from my fields organic too in order to survive in visited their farm twice and appreci- and people in and around the village future. When people ask me about ated Shivraj’s efforts of promoting know me and my family”. the reason for my success, I invite organic. His father adds: “We would have them to join Navdanya and start In 2007 Shivraj’s mother and wife been in the dark if we would not have organic farming. started a self help group called Karni adopted organic farming. Shivraj went Last year both - rabi and kharif - Mahila Swayam Sahayata Samuha, to Navdanya’s farm in Dehradun for crops were very good. For the last which associated with Navdanya in training and started organic farming two years we have been selling our 2010. Recently Navdanya helped here which really changed the mean- crops to Navdanya, which is buying the group to construct a building for ing of life for our family”. the produce from our home at a 10% premium price. Other than that we also save on transportation, pack- aging and time, time which earlier we had to spare for going to the market for selling our crop. Last year after keeping enough crops for our household and for our sister and brothers’ families, we sold crops for Rs. 1,72,000, of which only about Rs. 40,000 was total expenditure from sowing till harvesting. The rest was our earning which we used for house maintenance and other needs of the family.” At the request of the community in 2010 Navdanya donated an oil expeller (Katchi Ghani) to the organic farmers group in Udaipur Kalan for oil pro- cessing. Devi Singh donated a piece

BIJA Autumn 2011 of land for the ghani to be installed. Shivraj Singh took charge of looking Shivraj (right) with co-worker at the Oil Processing Unit in Chota Udaipur, Rajasthan 19 Sweet as Sugar

Ud a i Bir* Translation from Hindi by Kritika Singh

Sugarcane is a plant of many uses, and organic sugarcane ‘sweetens’ people’s life - as described by the Navdanya field officer in Uttar Pradesh

riends… sugarcane is a crop of Punjab where it is sown thrice a year. After a gap of five days the soil is Fwhich every part is valuable. Each The first round of sowing takes place upturned once again. This pattern is part has qualities and uses of its own. in March. The second follows in April repeated twice. The shoot of the plant is used as cattle and goes up to 15th May, the third The sugarcane crop can be infected feed. Its dry leaves are used as fuel to and last in the year takes place in by many pests and diseases like root cook the sugarcane juice. The fibers October. Almost four to five quintal borer, top borer, gurdaspur borer and left after the juice has been extracted, seeds are sown. termites. The crop is irrigated 15-16 are used in making paper. The best The fields are irrigated for the first times on an average. The produce way to enjoy sugarcane is to suck its time after 20 days of sowing. The from the first sowing is the best. The juice from the stem itself. The juice sowing of seed requires a lot of care crop is harvested once it reaches the also adds a unique flavor to the Indian and attention. The seed selection is height of five to six feet. Harvests can rice pudding kheer. And, of course, it of vital importance. The seeds sown be reaped for at least two to three is used to make jaggery, natural sugars should be free of any kind of disease years from one round of sowing. as well as industrial sugar. and should preferably come from the The yield when using organic top most part of the bud of the crop. methods in one bigha of land is ap- Growing sugarcane The soil should be nourished with prox. 50 quintals in the first year, and Sugarcane is produced all across good quality compost fertilizers. After rise to 60 quintal in the second year. the Indian subcontinent, mainly in the first round of irrigation the field is The quantity of produce is, of course, Maharashtra, West Uttar Pradesh, dug and upturned four to five times; also determined by environmental Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, and after that the field is irrigated again. circumstances like the weather.

*Udai Bir (front, left) is a longstanding Navdanya Field Staff member. He is not only a specialist in organic sugarcane and its products; he also collaborates in many of Navdanya’s trainings and seminars. BIJA Autumn 2011

20 Harvest begins in November and are transferred to an earthen pot. A cloth. After filtering, it is left to ferment continues till April. The farmers use piece of iron is added to the juice. again, this time dry, red chilies and a tractors, trolleys or buffalo carts to Then a small amount of old vin- small amount of old vinegar are added transport the sugarcane to the masher egar is added followed by two fresh to it. Again one must be cautious that or mills, or to kohl’s, indigenous pieces of sugarcane. After this the no moisture is able to enter the vessel processing units, where jaggery (un- juice is covered and kept in a spe- so it should be sealed well. After a gap refined, non centrifugal sugar) and cial earthen pot which has a narrow of ten days it has to be filtered again shakar are made. mouth. The mouth is sealed with and the red chilies are removed. The clay so that the contents are not vinegar is now ready for use. Making jaggery influenced by factors like rain of Vinegar adds a unique and enjoy- To begin with, sugarcane is pressed fungus. The contents are left to fer- able taste to green chilies, radishes, to extract the juice. The juice is then ment for about five months. When mangoes and many more salads, veg- put to boil. A type of ladyfinger called the vinegar is ready one should be etables and fruits. It is also beneficial suklai is added to the cooking pot careful that the weather outside is for people suffering from acidity and which causes the impurities to rise and dry otherwise the vinegar gets spoilt constipation. And it helps patients suf- be separated easily. Juice turns into when taken out. The vinegar needs fering from jaundice, stomach aches, jaggery after being cooked enough. to be filtered through a clean pieceof stones, etc. It is cooled after forming lumps and stored in clean pieces of cloth. Jaggery helps in staying fit. Its regular intake is said to reduce stom- ach problems like constipation and acidity. It also reduces the chances of developing diabetes. It is a good source of energy for the body. Its natural goodness can be maintained if unadulterated by chemicals. Making sugar The juice from sugarcane after be- ing extracted in a presser is cooked. A kind of ladyfinger called suklai is added to the juice which helps re- move impurities through the froth. It is cleaned this way repeatedly till the froth stops forming. The juice thickens into raab (molasses) as it is cooked. As it thickens into raab either baking soda or suklai is added. When organically made, the main component added is suklai; otherwise chemicals are used to convert the raab into fine crystallized sugar. Organic sugar is very beneficial to one’s health. When added to desi ghee (clarified butter) it helps improve eye-sight. When added to milk it helps keep stomach problems away. People suffering from constipation are recommended to have milk with organic sugar. Making vinegar The sugarcane is crushed to extract its juice. It is stored in a covered

BIJA Autumn 2011 vessel and kept in sunlight for about Organic sugarcane is the source of jaggery or vinegar which make for many healthy food four days. After that the contents preparations - adding a sweet or savory touch to people’s diet and well-being 21 Organic Fair Fine Food Fair Trade at Navdanya

Ab h i s h e k Ja n i *

One of the most tangible manifestations of Navdanya’s work and values is its Fair Trade Programme with its holistic approach - from the Earth to Communities to the Individual.

air Trade for Navdanya goes seeds and cultivation techniques to stores shows that there is a delec- Fbeyond being just a transaction creating awareness and a market for table choice of food items like rice where the producer gets a premium these bio-diverse produce, Navdanya (we have over ten varieties of rice), for following a higher social and has made a direct and active effort at pulses like Naurangi dal, Chakrata and environmental standard. For Nav- promoting diversity at the farms and Chitkabra Rajma, and an array of cold danya, Fair Trade implies creating on the food tables. pressed oils. an alternative system which is more One of the key components of sustainable for farmers and consum- Navdanya’s fair trade programme ers, for the communities involved and is the promotion of sustainable for the Earth. agriculture. Sustainable agricultural To enable tangible change to- practices not only conserve our Earth wards a more sustainable society, but also promote a healthier food it is important to engage at each chain. Our farmer members are trained level - from the micro to the macro. in the organic cultivation techniques It is also important to provide action- which promote natural inputs instead able alternatives to the conventional of the chemical based conventional choices and techniques. Navdanya is options. We conserve and spread deeply committed to creating these the use of diverse local seed variet- alternatives and is directly involved ies; demonstrate and train farmers in with the individuals and communities the use of techniques for enhancing in the entire process and value chain soil fertility using vermin-compost, - from the seed to the table. manure and other bio fertilizers like Panchgavya. Instead of pumping the Conserving Ecology soil and our food chain with poison- At the core of Navdanya’s Fair Trade ous pesticides like Endosulfan and programme is the belief that only when We have encouraged farmers to Malathion farmers are also taught we respect and care for our Earth will grow millets such as Ragi, Amaranth, techniques of using bio-pest control we be able to create a fairer and a Bajra, Jowar, Jhangora and Shorgum such as the use of Neem oil and more sustainable society. Therefore and helped create awareness and Panchamrit. Farmers are also trained our Fair Trade programme is based on markets for these highly nutritious in water conservation techniques and promoting bio-diverse and sustainable grains through our fair trade market- more efficient utilization of natural wa- agricultural practices. ing platform. Our café has created ter sources. Compared with conven- We actively promote bio-diversity innovative menus such as Amaranth tional agricultural techniques organic to create a richer and more resilient Cutlets, Ragi Idlis, Jhangora Upma agriculture requires lower amounts of ecosystem. Navdanya has success- and Jhangora Salads which have dem- water and therefore directly helps in fully conserved and popularized onstrated to our consumer members water conservation. what were once the forgotten foods. how tasty organic, nutritious food To connect the farmers with the Right from providing farmers with can be. We have successfully intro- market Navdanya also assists them duced a nine-grain atta (flour) which by arranging Organic Certification or

*Abhishek Jani is Financial Consultant and celebrates the richness and diversity by providing Participatory Guarantee BIJA Autumn 2011 Fair Trade Manager Navdanya. of our grains. A visit to the Navdanya Certification. Thus, by growing food 22 through organic techniques farmers are able to get an additional premium in the market for their produce. Strengthening Communities For Fair Trade practices to have an ongoing and more sustainable im- pact, community level engagement is critical. Apart from becoming a local support mechanism, commu- nity activities are also important to protect the commons and collective interests. Navdanya from the start has engaged with and worked towards strengthening local communities. We have helped organize and promote farmer groups across India. Navdanya Navdanya staff and coordinators impart a Seed Course for farming communities. Promoting has worked with these farmer com- organic GMO-free seeds, community seed banks, organic farming techniques, the building of munities to set up over 60 community local producer groups and Fair Trade principles are some of Navdanya’s core issues. seed banks, thereby enabling farmers to get GMO free seeds locally. Farmer groups have also been trained by our experts on sustainable agricultural practices, thus creating local support and learning networks. Some farmer groups have gone further to organize as local producer groups for processed food products. Navdanya has been an active partner in encouraging these farmer enterprises by not only providing technical expertise and financial assistance in the form of advances and loans but also helping the farmers to find markets for their processed products. At the other end of the food chain Navdanya has also been actively working with consumer members, Fair Trade starts with diversity at the farms and brings fair fine food to the plate. institutions and organizations creating awareness about ecological impact of conventional versus organic farming; farmer’s rights and the impact on health and nutrition values of chemi- cally grown crops versus organically cultivated food. Navdanya has been periodically taking consumer groups to farms to interact with our member farmers from whom we procure, thereby bridging the links and creating confidence across the two communities. We believe bringing communities together helps create a positive cycle of trust and understanding, thereby building

BIJA Autumn 2011 a society with greater commitment to sustainability and equality. 23 Providing a choice to Equally it is now an accepted fact Value addition at grass Individuals that the economic boom has been root level somewhat partial to some. It has One of the key purposes of Nav- increased the divide been the rich The value of the agricultural produce danya’s Fair Trade programme is to and poor: the rich are getting richer, is greatly enhanced with each stage provide individuals with a choice to and contrary to the trickledown of agri-processing. Navdanya is produce and consume food which theory, the poor are getting poorer. working with farmer producer is more ecologically sustainable, This growing wealth divide is also groups across the country to enable which provides greater economic being displayed across the urban- them to get more value for their independence to the farmers and is rural divide and the different sectors production through value addition more nutritious and healthy for all of economy as the value addition activities. the consumers. by the service and industrial sectors Some of our farmer members in Ut- For the farmers our programmes dictates the price and quantity of tar Pradesh have formed co-operatives not only provide an alternative inputs generated by the agricultural and producer groups to set up a means of production - which is less sector. sweetener processing unit to convert dependent on the market inputs and It is in this context that Navdanya’s their sugar cane into Gur, Boora and more sustainable; but our focus on Fair Trade programme aims at re- Shakkar. In this process Navdanya biodiversity based production also establishing the rural economy and has encouraged them by providing ensures that the farmers practice the farmer groups as key contributors technical expertise, financial loans and multicropping and therefore are in the value chain. advances against their commitment able to fulfil a larger part of their household food requirements. Unlike the mono-culture based ag- ricultural practices, our farmers are trained to plant the right combination of crops on the same fields so as to get a wider and a more nutritious basket of produce, and at the same time these multi-cropping techniques also replenish the soil nutrition. These production techniques help farmers gain greater food security and inde- pendence - and thereby approaching the market to generate additional income rather than being completely at the mercy and dependence of the market forces for even day to day sustenance. For the consumers in the urban markets, Navdanya’s Fair Trade Organic outlets provide a choice of pure, natural and nutritious food. The outlets also provide a channel to directly connect with the farmer groups and to engage in research and fact based decisions about what they choose to consume and the pros and cons of their choice. Bridging the urban-rural divide The economic boom that India has been experiencing since the 1990s has numerous success stories of people being raised from below poverty levels, and of businesses prospering Be fair, buy fair: Urban Indians can buy organic good food – for everyday and special occasions - at

the Navdana Shops in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon and Dehradun. (In the picture: At the Organic Shop BIJA Autumn 2011 and competing at international levels. at Hauz Khas Market and the Organic Food Stall Number 18 at Dilli Haat, both New Delhi). 24 to produce for Navdanya and then to the young women looking for pure and authentic rural flavours to finally providing marketing support economic independence, Navdanya our consumer members. to introduce their products at our Fair encourages them to produce the rich Trade Organic Stores. Navdanya is also and diverse range of food that these Sustainable and Fair committed to procuring the products women have an ocean of knowledge Following the principles of fair from our farmer groups at a premium of and market it as our Mahila Anna trade has been Navdanya’s credo above the market rates. Swaraj products. Weather it is pickles for over twenty years. All of us at A similar endeavour by our farmer from Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Andhra Navdanya have been continuously group in Rajasthan to cold-press oil or Maharashtra; Papad or Dal vadi striving to evolve our Fair Trade from mustard and flax oil seeds has from Bihar or Poha from Orissa, our programme to adhere to the core also been supported by Navdanya. Mahila Anna Swaraj products are principles of sustainability and This initiative was greatly appreci- greatly appreciated for bringing the equality at each level. ated by the women of the area, as they were now able to process their oilseeds locally rather than transport them to a nearby town where the oil mills are located. Empowering rural women Rural women are one of the hard- est working sections of our society. Yet their significant contribution to their family and local community economic units does not always translate into their own economic empowerment. Recognizing the need to eco- nomically empower these women, Navdanya has launched its Mahila Anna Swaraj programme (see also p. 4). Working with a wide spec- Value addition in the village: The Navdanya farmers in Baraut, Uttar Pradesh, process their own trum of women in villages - from sugarcane and produce different natural sweeteners, which are bought at a premium price the widows of suicide farmers, by Navdanya.

On their way: Navdanya supports rural women to produce traditional and innovative food items and to market them at fair prices in order to get economically independent. BIJA Autumn 2011

25 From the land to the city: Navdanya’s Vegetable and Fruit Scheme

Ar c h i t Si n gl a *

t is said that green vegetables are very good for a balanced harm of chemical agriculture, they decided to go Idiet. But that doesn’t seem so if we look at the many organic under the guidance of Navdanya. The farm- reports which show that conventionally grown vegetables ers own small land holdings on which they now grow and fruits on sale contain toxic chemicals. organic, seasonal vegetables and fruits using local The former Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mr. seeds. Mehpa is approximately 100 kms away from Dinesh Trivedi, informed consumers to take preventive Delhi, so Navdanya can easily get fresh vegetables and measures since the toxicity could lead to breakdowns, fruits according to the demands of its customers. sterility and neurotic complications. Navdanya pays 25% extra premium for organic Apart from chemical fertilizers and pesticides many vegetables and fruits on the price of conventional farmers are using hormone shots to expedite the growth vegetables and fruits available in the mandis (local of their vegetables; such hormones can also cause dam- wholesale fruit and vegetable markets). Thus organic age to health. farmers get more money compared to conventional Oxytocin is a hormone that is basically used clini- farmers, and this 25% higher income helps them a lot in cally during delivery and to stimulate milk secretion. In their personal life. India, the use of oxytocin on animals is banned. It is, Organic farmers also save the cost for chemical however, injected into vegetables like cucumber, pump- fertilizers and pesticides, and they can maintain the kin, brinjal, gourd and fruits (such as watermelons) health of their soil. They also do not need to bring for quicker growth and better looks. In addition, some- their vegetables everyday to the mandi for selling; times copper sulphate is being used for colouring fruits their produce is picked up from them by Navdanya - and and vegetables. at a fair price. Being faced with such multiple sources of toxicity in vegetables and fruits, it became imperative to grow them chemical- and poison-free. This is precisely what These women in Uttar Pradesh grow healthy greens and vegetables of all shapes and colours which are marketed by Navdanya. Navdanya decided to do. Navdanya not only supports farmers in producing organically, but also makes fresh vegetables and fruits available for consumers. Navdanya’s purposes are to bring to people organic, nutritious and healthy food – free from chemical pesticides, fertilizers and any hormones, and to create a sustainable market for the vegetable and fruits growers. Organic benefits farmers Navdanya started working with vegetable farmers, such as Angora Devi, Bhojwati, Anju Devi, Brahmvati, Kusum Devi, Shamu Devi, Santari Devi, Bimla Devi and others some years ago. After these farmers in village Mehpa, district Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, had heard Dr. Shiva talking about the BIJA Autumn 2011 *Archit Singla is Marketing Executive, Navdanya 26 Growing papayas and other luscious fruits for Navdanya members and city shoppers.

Sale and Delivery and Fridays). Navdanya takes the order from the customer Shops: a day or two before the delivery. The farmers group is Navdanya operates the Organic Vegetable and Fruit informed about the volume of the orders, and the farmers Shop at E-52 Hauz Khas Market, New Delhi (just next to pluck the vegetables and fruits accordingly. At the time Navdanya’s Grain Shop). of plucking a Navdanya coordinator checks the organic Navdanya also started a weekly supply - every Tuesday integrity of the vegetables and fruits. Afterwards, under - of organic vegetables and fruits to its Organic Outlet, the strict observation of the coordinator, sorting - for Gurgaon C-15, Arcadia Shopping Complex, first floor. which they are paid for - is done by the farmers. Home Delivery: (For further information/orders/prices regarding the Navdanya provides home delivery of vegetables and Organic Vegetable/Fruit scheme: fruits to its members in Delhi twice a week (Tuesdays Tel: 011-26854069 or [email protected])

BIJA Autumn 2011 Vinod (left) and Girish bring just harvested vegetables and fruits from Kamal is in charge of Navdanya’s Organic Vegetable and Fruit Shop at farmers’ orchards, fields and gardens to the Navdanya Outlet. Hauz Khas Market, New Delhi. 27 Poison Free Food: Organic Farming for Health and Safety Press Release

avdanya, Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, Initiative for Health and Equity in Society and NIndia International Centre (IIC) organized a Conference on “Poison Free Food: Organic Farming for Health and Safety” on July 7, 2011 held at IIC, New Delhi. The conference was inaugurated by Prof M.G.K. Menon, Chair of India International Centre and Chair of the Supreme Court Appointed Committee on Toxics. Food which should be the source of health is becoming a threat to our lives because poisons and toxic substances are increasingly contaminating farm produce, reaching our table and spreading disease. Through the systematic omission of consumer caution about the hazards of chemical industrial farming and a biased misinformed propaganda against organic practices, industrial lobbies are trying to spread the myth that chemical farming is safe, and organic isn’t. This couldn’t be farther from truth. Dr Vandana Shiva, Founder of Navdanya and Dr Vaibhav Singh, medical doctor, showed in their presentations how toxic food has become the single biggest cause for disease in India. Food needs to once again become a source of health and not of hazards. The premiere screening of Marie Monique Robin’s award winning film Our Daily Poison well showed how we are drowning in poison and toxics. In 1984, the tragic Bhopal disaster caused by a leak from a pesticide plant exposed the deadly impact of pesticides. Twenty five years of aerial sprays of hazardous pesticides have resulted in severe health and ecological hazards. Pesticides like Endosulfan sprayed on food have killed more than 1000 people and more than 9000 victims of Endosulfan have been identified in Kasargod district of Kerala, with over 4800 patients bedridden. Similar reports have come from other parts of India. Dr Shanbhag of the Human Rights Protection Foundation, who was invited by the Government of Karnataka to do medical studies on the victims of Endosulfan described in detail the crippling neurological, physical, genetic, immu- nological hazards that victims suffer from. Mr Sudheer from the Endosulfan Campaign reported on the long and hard struggle of the victims to get justice. Pinky Anand, Senior Advocate to the Supreme Court, stressed that the right to health is a right to life and such killing and crippling of people is a violation of this fundamental right to life. Man made chemicals, toxins & GMOs have saturated and contaminated our environment increasing the exposure to health hazards for every living creature, while also reducing our immune system’s capacity to fight disease. In geneti- cally modified Bt crops, such deadly pesticides are incorporated directly into the seed in the form of the toxic protein Cry1Ac. While naturally occurring Bt only becomes toxic when processed in the guts of insects, the Bt toxin produced by genetically engineered crops is active and released continuously by every cell of the plant. In 2006, at least 1800 sheep in Andhra Pradesh were reported dead from severe toxicity after grazing on Bt cotton fields. The health risks of GMOs were confirmed by a recent Canadian study in which scientists detected traces of the Bt toxin in human blood: the subjects had no direct exposure to pesticides, but all regularly consumed GM soybeans, corn, and potatoes. Dr Mira Shiva, medical doctor and Coordinator of Initiative for Health and Equity in Society, who had been invited by the Environment Minister for a briefing on the health impact of Bt Brinjal said that there are adequate independent studies showing that Bt toxins are severely harmful to health. She also referred to the regulatory chaos with biosafety being kicked like a football from GEAC to the Food Safety and Standards Authority and now to the proposed BRAI (Biotechnology Regulatory Authority). Kapil Mishra of Greenpeace exposed how illegal trials of GM crops are rampant with the latest cases of GM corn in Karnataka. Addie, intern at Navdanya, synthesized the health and environmental risks of Bt crops. We along with a large number of citizens are deeply concerned to find that the Agriculture Minister has totally de- nied the health hazards of pesticides, while also misleading the Parliament that the States want the use of Endosulfan to continue. In India, consistent movements have come together under the banner of 'Endosulfan Spray Protest Action Committee' forcing the Kerala and Karnataka Government to ban Endosulfan. The National Human Rights Commis- sion has clearly recommended the ban of Endosulfan on health grounds. Recognizing the magnitude of health and ecological hazards, over 74 countries have banned Endosulfan and over 100 countries had asked for a ban at the UN Stockholm Conference on Persistent Organic Pollution (POP) held in Geneva in April 2011. India too agreed to the ban with provision of few years to phase out.

Similarly ecological and public health concerns related to GMOs led to a ban in about 30 countries. BIJA Autumn 2011 The Bt Brinjal Moratorium followed widespread expression of ecological and health concerns in spite of tremendous 28 pressure from GM corporates. Corporate pressure for their GM crops to create and control the GM market continues unabated. Food Safety and Bio-Safety cannot be disregarded since they are basically public health concerns. Proof of safety cannot be left in the hands of conflict of interest ridden bodies. Endosulfan is just one of the many chemicals harmful to health, aggressively marketed and used frequently and repeatedly by the manufacturers, with agriculture authorities having supported their use in the name of ‘modern’ and ‘scientific’ agriculture. Denial of unbiased information about related health hazards from independent sources concerned about safety and public health, as well as information about known emergence of pesticide resistance requiring higher doses, repeated spraying has added to the pesticide related health hazards. Similarly, authorities and lobbies try to aggressively sell the concept that chemical agriculture ensures greater food production. As the problems start unfolding the aggressive push that GMOs will provide food security is evident. The concerns of bio safety and public health implications have to be addressed. On May 13, 2011, the Supreme Court of India ordered an interim ban on Endosulfan. We need to strengthen the ban and raise awareness about the real hazards in chemical industrial farming. Safe and poison free alternatives exist. Dr Vijay Kumar from the Rural Development Ministry who led the Andhra Pradesh initiative for Poison Free Agri- culture showed how farmers can increase production and incomes by shedding toxic pesticides. Over the last 25 years our work in Navdanya and its partner organizations has established that chemical free ecological farming is the most sustainable method of pest control and the way forward for provision of unpolluted, uncontaminated safe food. Poison free food is a possibility, a necessity and our fundamental right: it is only by steadily halting reliance on chemicals in farming that we can ensure it. BIJA Autumn 2011

29 The Launch at Terra Futura

Ca r o l i n e Lo c k h a r t *

avdanya International was The opening of Navdanya Inter- collaboration ended at the end of last Nlaunched in Florence, Tuscany, national office in Florence comes year as a result of budget constraints on 21 May at ‘Terra Futura”, the after ten-year collaboration between and changes in the regional govern- three-day event held annually in the the regional government of Tuscany ment. Navdanya International takes city on living sustainably for an eco- and the International Commission on on the momentum and team spirit nomically, socially and environmentally the Future of Food and Agriculture, that evolved over the life of the Com- just world. chaired by Dr. Vandana Shiva. This mission and provides a new platform

*Caroline Lockhart (front row, first from right) at a conference for a GMO-free agriculture, organized by Navdanya in New Delhi. BIJA Autumn 2011

30 for pushing ahead with Navdanya’s on the Future of Food and Agriculture, • the protection and promotion of long-standing mission of promoting including Claudio Martini, the former biodiversity, local food production biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, Governor of the Region, and the Hon. and traditional knowledge; healthy food systems and food sov- Susanna Cenni, member of Parliament • the defence of the commons and ereignty and defending the rights of and Tuscany’s former Agricultural of small farmers, and, at the same small farmers around the world. Minister, as well as friends and sup- time, The event took place in a packed porters of Dr. Shiva and her work, hall amidst much anticipation. Join- were asked to say a few words on the • to support the work of Navdanya ing Vandana Shiva at the podium occasion. One testimony particularly and of Dr. Vandana Shiva who has were Navdanya International’s two brought out the spirit of friendship and made these principles her life’s vice-presidents, both well known for community that underlined the whole purpose. their work in promoting and defend- proceedings. Author Angela Staude Navdanya International will work ing biodiversity and local, sustainable Terzani, widow of the distinguished with, support and join up with net- agriculture: Maria Grazia Mammuccini journalist and fellow-author Tiziano works, associations and institutions who for many years led the work of Terzani, known for his eloquence in working to ensure a future that puts ARSIA, the regional agency that pio- writing about the corruption of Asia by nature and health at the centre of our neered Tuscany’s innovative policies the materialistic west, gave a moving economic and social well-being. for the protection of biodiversity, and account of when her husband, from In keeping with this, Navdanya Giannozzo Pucci, editor and publisher his hideout in the Himalaya at the end International’s first undertaking is to of the Italian Ecologist, leader of the of his life, while racing against time spearhead, together with the Centre organic and local farming movement, to finish his last book, heard Vandana for Food Safety, the publication of a and founder of the farmers’ market speak on the BBC. He was so inspired Global Citizens Report on the failings in Italy. to tell his wife that the only person and false promises of GMOs and The event opened with an ex- he would like to meet before he died Monsanto. The report will be a com- cerpt from the film ‘Nine Seeds’, was Vandana. This sadly could not pilation of contributions by network the documentary on Navdanya pro- happen but at the end of her account, representatives, including leading duced by SICREA, the Italian media Angela, on behalf of her husband, scientists around the world working and PR company based in Florence. and Vandana embraced in memory for a GMO-free planet. Preparations Its president Maurizio Izzo chaired of a fellow warrior who lived his life are under way for its simultaneous the proceedings. Massimo Orlandi, for peace and justice. release around the globe from the 6th noted journalist with the Region of to the 16th of October 2011, World Navdanya International’s mission is Tuscany, was master of ceremonies. Food Day, with a call for action in A number of former colleagues who • the reconciliation of ecology and the movement’s collective battle to had collaborated closely during the economy, based on sustainable stop industry’s push to take over and life of the International Commission agriculture; control our food systems. BIJA Autumn 2011

31 Interns’ Days at the Farm

How two young French women experienced their internship at the Navdanya Farm

I am a Political Science student in France... it means that I study big concepts to understand our world's rules and to preserve, change or improve them, sitting on a chair, far from reality. Interested in sustainable agriculture and its awareness, I decided to take advantage of my 6 months undergraduation internship at Navdanya’s Biodiversity Farm to discover what organic farming really represents in rural development. When I arrived at the farm, I was impressed by the peace of the place. No big office, but fields, gardens, and rooms that directly connect to the outside. Even in January, a cold month, we were spending our days outdoor! Then, you feel good to be tired from the fresh air and you enjoy realising that working outside is much more inspiring. Eating in Navdanya is also essential in our understanding of sustainable food process. Navdanya's meals are shows of local and fresh biodiversity and always a tasty experience! I loved observing the diversity of grains and vegetables in the fields and to find it in my plate later. What amazed me most was the use of amaranth, a grain I discovered in Navdanya Farm. Especially for breakfast, amaranth cutlets and cereals of popped amaranth with milk were an everyday motivation to get up! But finally, I must admit that my favourite remains Halwa from rice and millet flour mixed together. Healthy diversity, here you are, and I know where you are from! As far as my project was concerned, I got involved with the educational programme ‘Seeds of Freedom, Gardens of Hope’. I am interested in awareness to more sustainable ways of life and I love kids: it seemed to be a perfect project for me!! And it was! During six months, I enjoyed every activity included in the programme, from doing art and craft to writing reports and to contacting school principals. I had to face many obstacles: the language - my Hindi was very poor, the schools' structure with which I wasn't familiar at all, my weak knowledge about agriculture and the risk to hurt families' values while talking about the damages of chemical farming's which very often my students' parents were practicing. However, what convinced me to continue with more reflection and caution was my motivation and the one of the other volunteers involved in this programme. Isn't it already a great step to break the clichés that associates “English” with ”office job” and “Hindi” with “farmer”?! I am sure that to share positive energy around creative projects is the key to awareness. I wasn't there to indicate the good way to follow. I was there to testify what I felt as a young western girl witnessing the damages of the current model of development in my country. Students taught me as much or maybe more than I brought them. And this is what they and I had to learn from this experience too: they have an unbelievable knowledge about nature and farming, the keys of our life on the Earth - knowledge that must be revalorized. With other interns, we organised a big march on the 8th of May to celebrate Mother Earth with the students. It was early in the morning, it was hot, it was on a Sunday... but they all came! They all brought their energy and child's optimism and they screamed their willingness to protect our planet. Our culture, our personalities, our age still makes our vision of development, of our future, different. But during all those months of partnership, and especially on that day, we all cared together for the Earth and its inhabitants! Very often, while discovering the farm and its techniques, while interacting with Navdanya's staff and volunteers or while travelling, I was surprised by the numerous memories of my childhood coming back to my mind. Growing up, we tend to forget the connections that link us to nature and this may be why adults damage their environment so much. Being an intern in Navdanya, I matured a lot, I learnt to lead projects and face responsibilities that go along with it, I discovered about biodiversity and its preservation, about myself too; but meanwhile, I found again the essential relationship with nature we have when we are kids! Tiphaine BIJA Autumn 2011 32 I came to Navdanya for 6 months of volunteering after my masters in Political Science. Studying international relations and environmental policies is fascinating but it might get quickly frustrating. Always ask, never do. This is why I decided to go where man is able to convince through what he grows and not only what he says. I felt the simple and basic desire to go back to the ground, put the hand in the soil and do something. During long hours of weeding, selecting seeds, and harvesting, I got embedded within a team of friends. You share the same hard work, feel the same leg pains and learn the meaning of solidarity. I also remember sitting at the seed bank with Bija Didi and Sunil, the wise women of the farm with a younger farmer. I was lost in translation, but I knew that I was witnessing a very close and intimate relationship, where knowledge, experience and so many jokes are shared. These were fantastic moments. For a city dweller like me, this experience was also the opportunity to feel for real nature. Have you ever noticed how loud and confusing the sound of insects can be when you are in the field? Have you ever noticed how they get crazy and reproduce themselves all day long, how everything accelerates just before a storm? I was stirred by all this beauty. This picture could not be complete without talking about food. I had the pleasure and privilege to discover new spices and seeds kept unknown due to the implacable rules of markets. Those fantastic tastes in my plate are however part of something bigger. “Kabhi nahi bhulungi”, I will never forget the smile and boldness of Rukmini, coordinator of Navdanya in Tehri region, when she was preparing the meal for us with her organic beans. The kitchen was under smoke, the pot was on the wood fire and her food was her pride. What a powerful lesson of the real meaning of wealth. I am surprised to see that when asked to talk about my experience at Navdanya, I am dwelling on those little sensations. Of course I learnt many other things, more academic or more technical, I went to beautiful remote villages, and I met incredible women. But I like to be grateful for the ‘heart’ of this experience, for all the small and beautiful things that show that you actually dive into it. Charlotte BIJA Autumn 2011

33 Publications

Some suggestions for further reading:

Health per Acre- Organic Solutions to Hunger and Malnutrition Dr. Vandana Shiva with Dr. Vaibhav Singh Navdanya/RFSTE, 2011 Health per Acre is based on agricultural field studies in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and the Navdanya Farm. Comparisons between conventional and biodiverse, or- ganic farming and the resulting nutritional values show that a shift to biodiverse organic farming and ecological intensification increases output of nutrition while reduc- ing input costs. When agriculture output is measured in terms of Health per Acre and Nutrition per Acre instead of Yield per Acre, biodiverse ecological systems have a much higher output.

Biopiracy of Climate Resilient Crops Gene giants steal farmers' innovation of drought resistant, flood resistant, and salt resistant rarities. Navdanya/RFSTE, 2009

No GM Crops and Food Why and how to fight genetically modified crops Handbook for Activists/Navdanya, reprint 2009

Biodiversity based organic farming: A new paradigm for Food Security and Food Safety Navdanya, 2006

The Biodiversity & Food Heritage of India 5 books with recipes: Akshat (Rice), Kanak (Wheat), Tilhan (Oilseeds), Masale (Spices) Bhoole Bisre Anaj (Forgotten foods) Navdanya, 2006

Complete list of publications and prices see Publications at www.navdanya.org

Navdanya Shops for biodiverse Organic Food

New Delhi: Navdanya Shop, E-52, Hauz Khas, Main Market Organic groceries Tel: 011-40793565 • Vegetables/Fruits Tel: 011-26854069NN Organic Cafe and Groceries Stall No. 18, Food Court Dilli Haat (opposite INA Market) • Tel: 011-24121548 Navdanya Gurgaon: C-105 1st Floor, Arcadia, opp. South City - 2 Patio Club Gurgaon, Haryana • Tel: 0124-3262011 Dehradun: Shop No. 8, Shiva Palace, 57 Rajpur Road, Dehradun Tel: 0135-2743175/2749931 Mumbai: Navdanya – The Organic Shop No. 10 Mayfair Housing Society, Oberoi-Raviraj Complex, off Andheri Link Road Andheri (West), Mumbai 400 053 • Tel: 09920418027 BIJA Autumn 2011

34 The Organic Shop – Mumbai

Re e t h a Ba lv a s a r *

avdanya started a retail shop in helpers who not only sort, clean and NMumbai in Dec 2006. In the past pack but also do selling and home four years we have grown from being deliveries. They have also recently completely unknown to having over learnt how to keep track of the inven- 1500 customers. We have over 500 tory and sales and purchases. products ranging across categories such We are working with my Alma as Dry Fruits, Flour, Forgotten Foods, Mater Avabai Petit Girls High School, Grains, Herbs, Honey, Jams, Lentils, Oil, where we have started our “Gardens Oilseeds, Papad, Pickles, Rice, Spices, of Hope” program, and once the Squash, Sweeteners and Tea. *Reetha Balvasar (left) and Lata Sharma monsoon is over, hope to take this Our top selling items are Wheat (right) started and run Navdanya - program to other schools. Other Flour, Mung Dal, Pigeon Peas, Bas- The Organic Shop in Mumbai with great planned initiatives in Mumbai are to love - and very successfully. mati Rice from Dehradun, Rice from have events where we can celebrate the banks of the river Indrayani, and engage all our customers in a con- Bhoomi, the Earth Festival. Boora which is a sweetener made versation. Many young mothers now In short, Navdanya Mumbai is at from sugar cane. call for advice, other people call for a very exciting point in its develop- Our customers normally visit the recipes, and yet some other customers ment. We have overcome some shop a few times and then place their who have become friends just come in early obstacles, built a great customer orders over the phone so the items can to spend time in “this little heaven on base, and become more comfortable be home delivered. Some of their com- earth, breathing in the lovely aroma of and resourceful as we grow. We ments are, “Fantastic”, “Wish there spices” – actual words from someone continue to plan events to reach out were more Navdanya Outlets in Mum- who drops in to “detox”. to the organic community in Mumbai, bai”, and, “What a superb Shop!” We started the shop with a lot of and also hope to expand our product When we opened the shop we took trepidation – not having any retail catalogue in a sustainable manner. It is a conscious decision that we would not experience before. But the feedback clear from our relatively rapid success pay to advertise. It was tough going from friends, customers and well wish- that there is an important role for an in the beginning but it has now paid ers has been terrific. We now have entity like Navdanya to play within off and just sheer word of mouth has many plans for the future but need the community – both as a retail proved to be very effective. What has to grow a step at a time as there are outlet for our organic producers but really helped is the fact that we are literally two people running the shop also as a development hub for people in the shop throughout the day and with a great deal of help from our three interested in their food. BIJA Autumn 2011

35 Bija Vidyapeeth – Education for Earth Citizenship International College for Sustainable Living, Navdanya Biodiversity and Conservation Farm, Ramgarh, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand Upcoming Courses

October 3 – 5, 2011: November 7 – 12, 2011: Bhoomi and the Gift of Food – Building Earth The Ganga Yatra: A journey to witness India’s Democracy and Food Justice Lifeline under Threat As the assault on the Earth increases and the threat Invited Resource Persons – Mr. Sunderlal Bahuguna, other to human survival intensifies, new paradigms and members of Save the Ganga Movement, Navdanya team movements for Earth Democracy and defence of the as well as local communities. rights of Mother Earth are emerging. Simultaneously Ganga is India’s lifeline spiritually, culturally and the growing food crisis and hunger is demanding food materially. However, this lifeline is today under serious justice so that the Right to Food of all can be ensured. threat. The building of dams and hydro electric projects The course will cover this emerging worldview and and increasing pollution is destroying the Ganga. Save experiences and movement building for the defence of the Ganga Movements are emerging to create aware- the earth and peoples right and explore how the Rights ness on the threats to the Ganga and to find ways to of Mother Earth and the rights of people are intimately protect the Ganga - our living heritage and life connected especially in the context of food. The food support. The Ganga Yatra will begin from Dehradun, web is in fact the web of life. The ecological crisis and travel through Tehri and Uttarkashi and end at Rishikesh the food crisis are consequences of this web being de- with the Ganga Aarti. stroyed and poisoned. November 24 – December 4, 2011: The course will also take advantage of Navdanya Seed Bank Gandhi and Globalisation and Organic Farm to show how protecting the earth and producing more food go hand in hand. Participants have Invited Resource Persons – Mr. Satish Kumar, Dr. Vandana the option of attending the Bhoomi – The Earth Festival Shiva, Ms. Madhusuri Prakash, Aruna Roy, Venerable on 2nd October, 2011 in New Delhi. Samdhong Rinpoche. The course on Gandhi and Globalisation will address October 22 - 23, 2011: the multiple crisis that globalization has unleashed – the Slow Weekend at Navdanya: Akshat economic crisis, the ecological crisis and the political (Rice and associated crops of the kharif season) crisis. The economic crisis is now being felt worldwide The Slow Weekend timed with the harvest of rice will including in prosperous Europe and USA. The high give the participants an opportunity to unwind while resource demand of globalization is creating resource they join in harvesting 600 varieties of rice, forgotten wars across the planet – wars over land, wars over foods such as mandua (ragi) and jhangora, and other water, wars over seed and wars over food. This is increas- associated crops. They also learn about organic farming. ing violence and militarization. Corporate globalization In addition the participants will get an opportunity to has also undermined representative democracy making learn organic recipes based on the kharif crops (autumn States representative of corporate interest rather than harvest) – rice, forgotten foods, dals and fresh seasonal public interest. vegetables. Gandhi’s philosophy and politics is more relevant than ever before in finding ways to live peacefully, equitably and sustainably on this fragile planet. The course will explore The future depends the contemporary relevance of Gandhi’s key concepts of on what we do Swaraj, Swadeshi and Satyagraha. The course will show how Gandhi’s observation that the in the present. earth has enough for everyone’s needs and not for some peoples greed can be translated into emerging movements Mahatma Gandhi for the defence of the earth and people’s rights. BIJA Autumn 2011 36 We do We at Organic Navdanya save seeds, work the fields, harvest, research, BIJA discuss, teach, learn, cook … and enjoy our diverse organic food…

is a quarterly published by the Research Foundation for Science,

Technology and Ecology (RFSTE), Bija Devi, Seedkeeper The laboratory a participatory research initiative, established to provide direction and support to Seed, Food and Water Rights Actions and Navdanya, the Biodiversity, Seed Conservation and Organic Farming Programme, founded by RFSTE in 1987.

Editor: Dr. Vandana Shiva

Volume 59 Autumn 2011

Managing Editor: Dorothea Ruesch (dr) CONTENTS Satish Kumar and Vandana Shiva, Lecturers at Bija Vidyapeeth Seeds of Hope Contributors/Authors: RFSTE/Navdanya Staff, Coordinators and Interns Diversity, Democracy and Wealth per Acre ...... 1 Photos: Navdanya Team and Archive Cover photo: Navdanya From Seed to Field to Plate...... 4 Designed & printed by: Systems Vision My 'Seed-to-Table' week at Sankri...... 12 Rice: Staple Food for Millions and a © Research Foundation for Climate Resilient Crop ...... 14 Science, Technology and Ecology They, together with many others, keep the Farm going… Organic farming changed our lives...... 18 A-60, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India Tel.: 0091-11-26535422, 26968077, 26561868 Sweet as Sugar ...... 20 Fax: 0091-11-26856795, 26962589, 26562093 E-mail: [email protected] Organic Fair Fine Food – Fair Trade at Navdanya...... 22 Website: www.navdanya.org From the land to the city: Navdanya's Vegetable and Fruit Scheme...... 26 Annual Contribution Rates Poison Free Food: Navdanya Members: Included in Membership Fee Organic Farming for Health and Safety ...... 28 Non-Members: Individuals Rs. 150 India Institutions Rs. 200 Launch of Navdanya International ...... 30 Cooks in action Neighbouring Countries Interns' Days at the Farm...... 32 (Pakistan /Nepal/Burma/ Individuals Rs. 200 Bangladesh/Sri Lanka) Institutions Rs. 30 Publications/Outlets...... 34 Other Asian Countries Individuals US$ 10 and Africa Institutions US$ 15 The Organic Shop – Mumbai ...... 35

All other Countries Individuals US$ 25 Bija Vidyapeeth/Upcoming Courses ...... 36 in Europe, America, etc. Institutions US$ 45 Volume 59 Autumn 2011

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Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology/Navdanya A-60, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India Tel.: 91-11-26532561, 26968077 E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Website: www.navdanya.org