Cultivating Peace Pohri Village, Madhya Pradesh, India Meghan Roguschka, Amanda Ota Statement Of

Ota and Roguschka Just Food: Cultivating Peace Pohri Village, Madhya Pradesh, India Meghan Roguschka, Amanda Ota Statement of Purpose: The intention of our project is to provide a peaceful method by which community members (specifically women and children) in the Pohri village of Madhya Pradesh, India, may learn to cultivate, manage, harvest, and maintain their own community garden. We will bring to this school in the Shivpuri district a knowledge of appropriate and nutritious crops, an understanding of the area's food needs, and an education in seed saving, which will allow the garden to live on once we have left India. The 2009 Global Hunger Index, published by the International Food Policy Research Institute, shows that an increased attention to the empowerment of women in India, specifically in the realm of food and land management, will help to remedy hunger issues. “Evidence clearly shows that gender inequality goes hand in hand with hunger in many countries ²,” thus working to empower women with agricultural knowledge will be a direct method of fighting hunger. We will be working alongside the women and children of Madhya Pradesh, teaching them how to manage a garden space by acting as an example. We will be involved, as partners, in developing their knowledge of cultivation and harvesting. When we arrive, we will bring with us the tools, seeds and skill sets necessary to begin work with the community of Pohri. As we develop these gardens we plan to teach the students the skills we have brought, so they are capable of adopting these practices in their lives . Once we leave, the program will have been incorporated as part of the school’s curriculum. Objectives: -Encourage the growth of a communally shared space by teaching agricultural/gardening skills to women and children. -Educate the young about resource management, food systems, and healthy diets and agricultural skills. -Foster peaceful interaction by giving community members a place to work together not only for a common good, but for a common resource base. -To establish a long lasting program within the school. Background: India is often cited as being one of the globe’s most food insecure localities; the state of Madhya Pradesh, however, is India’s worse.i A report published in January 2008 by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) outlined hunger statistics particular to India, and concluded that the central state is in particular need of food assistance.ii “All 17 [Indian] states have ISHI scores that are significantly worse than the ‘low’ and ‘moderate’ hunger categories. Twelve of the 17 states fall into the ‘alarming’ category, and one—Madhya Pradesh— falls into the ‘extremely alarming’ category iii.” By “extremely alarming,” the study means that Madhya Pradesh’s combined calorie undernourishment, under five mortality rate, and 2008 Global Hunger Index score make it an area of extreme concern for food and nourishment standards. Also, because of climate change, Madhya Pradesh will be increasingly threatened by changes in weather patterns. South and Central Asia may expect extreme temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns in the approaching years.iv This initiative will require a heightened attention to weather patterns while physically in Madhya Pradesh, but will also demand that the garden plan acknowledges extreme shifts in humidity and precipitation. In this way, individuals who have committed their efforts to the success of the garden will be prepared to maintain the space no matter what the temperature or moisture level is throughout the year. About Us: The Peace garden will be facilitated in the beginning months by Amanda Ota, a student of Economics and the Humanities, and Meghan Roguschka, a Women’s History and Environmental 1 Ota and Roguschka Science student. We have both been involved in a number of community efforts to spread awareness about the importance of local and sustainable food practices. Amanda has spent time volunteering at nature reserves and farms in and around the Belmont, Massachusetts area. Most recently, she helped initiate a community sponsored garden program outside of Belmont’s public library, which catered to needy families within the community. Meghan Roguschka has 3 years experience working for agriculturally oriented employers, among which include a nursery, a community garden, and a locally supported farm, (a CSA). She is an active member of Sarah Lawrence College’s environmental and sustainability clubs, and is currently conducting independent research pertaining to food inequality and waste generation in the world. Project Details: Where: Pohri Village, Shivpuri District, Madhya Pradesh, India Who (NGO): We will be working with the Sambhav Organization, whose main office is in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The community center that they have connected us to is the Sambhav school in Pohri, about 120 km from Gwalior, and is a center with an already established micro finance initiative. We will be housed in the primary school that teaches children through the twelfth grade. The school is outfitted with a kitchen and bathrooms, and one of the rooms will be converted into a sleeping space. The garden space is behind the school. What: The purpose of the peace garden is to cultivate, in collaboration with the community of Pohri, a 2.5 acre garden. The product of these efforts will be communally owned and shared, and if extra crops are produced, a system may be devised to either sell or preserve these goods. How: After school/afternoon programs that emphasize the following: Permaculture, companion planting, rain barrel use, seed saving, and preservation. Crops will be specific to the area, particularly black cotton soil. For example: Green Chili, Zucchini, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Sapota, Peas, Brinjal, Peanuts, Basil, Sage, Curry, Masala, Gram, Linseed, Jowar. Seeds can be purchased from local vendors (recommended by Sambhav Institute) When (Time Line): January- NGO has been selected (Sambhav Institute), plot of land has been specified in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh. Living plans confirmed. Soil type is black cotton. February- Select local seed bank, research topography of garden, confirm water source. March- Discuss Sambhav’s specific desires for garden, Research where to buy seeds, trees, fertilizer, garden tools, fences, shovels, buckets, etc. April- Establish companion planting layout. May- Information about community members, plan workshops. June-Funds distributed, depart to India, test soil, modify garden plan, re-discuss Sambhav’s desire for garden, solidify community involvement, begin prepping land. July- Groundbreaking, planting, community involvement, workshops. August-Establish roles in garden, continue workshops (different growth phases.) September- Celebration feast, plans for future of garden, departure, write up. Our Role: Our role will be that of facilitators and guides. We will not be “doing charity” or volunteering for the "less fortunate"; we will, though, be tools for the women and children of this area. Many young adults in Madhya Pradesh have a knowledge of agriculture, as they have grown up within the sphere of its influence. Our role will be to nurture an understanding of how this work can be collective and long lasting, and a community asset. i 2009 Global Hunger Index, published by The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ii Ibid. iii 2008 India State Hunger Index: Comparison of Hunger Across the States, (IFPRI) iv Climate change: Impact on agriculture and costs of adaptation, (IFPRI) 2.

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