NAVASAKTI TRUST

( Regn. No. 38 / IV / 2007 )

Our Patrons: Prof. M.S. Swaminathan & Mrs. Mina Swaminathan

Managing Trustee: Dr. Mrs. Rohini Iyer

Joint Managing Trustee: Dr. R.D. Iyer

Address: Navasakti Trust, Vengattompalli Madom,Thazhava – 690 523, Kuthirappanthi P.O., Taluk, District, State. Phone: 0476‐2864048; 2866861; Mobile No. 9746788142; E‐mail : [email protected]

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NAVASAKTI TRUST (Regn. No. 38 / IV / 2007 )

The Taittiriya Upanishad has extolled the virtues of Food (Annam) as the vital force that helps maintain the body, and hence, ‘Annam na nindyat’ (Do not deprecate Food); take a vow, ‘Tad‐ vratam ‐ Annam na parichaksheet’ – not to discard Food. ‘ Annam bahu kurveet’, Produce abundant Food; ‘Tad vratam’ – take this vow. Thus, Food Security was considered vital even from Vedic Era, to sustain life, maintain progeny, cattle and the lustre of holiness.

Free ’s First Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru categorically emphasized, “Everything else can wait, but not Agriculture. We cannot allow the Bengal famine to be repeated in our Independent India. It should be the legacy of our colonial past; no more Bengal famine”....

Navasakti Trust(NST) was registered at Karunagappally on 9th February, 2007, as a Non‐Government, non‐profit, non‐political Organization aimed at Community Development by harnessing scientific knowledge and technology for improving production and productivity of small and marginal farms. We were fortunate to have Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, FRS to lay the Foundation Stone of our building on Thursday, 15th March, 2007. (photo)

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Swaminathan mentioned that the XI Plan document has highlighted the need for bridging the ‘knowledge gap’ in Sustainable Farming. ‘Although enough technical ’know‐how’ was available to make farming sustainable’, he said, ‘the transfer of ‘do‐how’ information was highly inadequate. It is in this context that NGO’s like ‘Navasakti’ assume relevance, in filling this ‘knowledge gap’’, he added.

We wanted to concentrate our efforts in Thazhava Village primarily, and then to widen our sphere of activity gradually to cover the entire , with the primary object of making farming a profittable venture. We wish to achieve this through the dissemination of scientific know‐how among local farmers to help them tackle field problems through dialogues and seminars and to build their capacity through hands‐on training and field demonstrations, based on the principle of ‘learning by doing’.

For this, we wish

• To promote and encourage micro‐enterprises, the use of biological software for sustainable agriculture and progressive adoption of organic farming using biological methods for controlling pests and diseases.

• To harness Science & Technology for the economic well‐being, nutrition, livelihood and health securities of farming families, through a participatory approach..

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Our Emblem: Signifies man’s eternal journey towards an all‐encompassing progress characterised by an open‐ended growth to be achieved both vertically and horizontally, as depicted by the three intertwining arcs, through the interplay of diverse factors symbolized by the seven colours of the spectrum.

Navasakti now has a building of its own on the Vavvakkavu‐ Road comprising of a Training Hall with a seating capacity of 60,a well‐equipped Culture Room, , a Computer Room,and an Office‐cum Library. This Building was formally inaugurated and dedicated to the Farming Community, on the 29th of January, 2009, by the then Hon’ble State Minister for Agriculture, Sri Mullakkara Ratnakaran, in the distinguished presence of Mrs. Mina & Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, Dr. M.K. Prasad, Chairman, Village Knowledge & Resource Centres, Shri K.R. Vishwambaran, Vice‐ Chancellor, KAU, local MLA Sri Kovoor Kunjumon, District & Panchayath officials, MSSRF Wyanad Centre Staff, besides Trustees, farmers, and the media.

In his Chairman’s Address, Prof. Swaminathan outlined four pathways of Transfer of Technology namely, from land to land where the success achieved by one famer is emulated by others; from lab to land, in which the technology developed by a Research Institute is adopted successfully by a farmer; land to lab, where farmer’s successful technology is analyzed by the laboratory for refinement or upgradation; and finally, from lab to lab in which technology is enriched by close interaction and collaboration among Research Institutions. In this context, NGOs like Navasakti trust have a significant role to play, he added.

Hon’ble Sri Mullakkara Ratnakaran, in his inaugural address, recalled with nostalgia, the traditional food basket of Keralites, the barter system, and the role of women in conserving agro‐biodiversity comprising yams, curry‐leaf, leafy greens, and seasonal vegetables that contributed towards food and nutritional security, echoing our ownconcerns.

Our local MLA, who released the Navasakti Souvenir on ‘Profitable Farming for Sustainable Lifestyle’, emphasized the role of agriculture in ensuring food security, and stressed the need for closer cooperation among Scientists, Farmers, Planners, and Politicians for achieving the desired results‐the very same principles for which Navasakti Trust stands.

In the open Session on “Gender Issues in Agriculture” where the chairperson Smt Mina Swaminathan highlighted the ‘disparity in recognizing and accounting for the rural women’s contributions in tending both family and farm. With the increasing migration of menfolk to towns seeking non‐agricultural jobs, agriculture is rapidly getting feminized, so that women have to do 60‐70% of agricultural work also, and yet their contribution is not recognized because it is not a ‘paid work’ since they may be tilling their own family land in an ‘invisible’ manner. This reminded us of a major thrust area that demanded our attention.

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OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS

• Farmers’Club Activities.

Maximising food‐production to achive food security is the guiding philosophy of NST. Farmers’ clubs are one of the major instuments in achieving this objective. At NST,we house the ‘Farmers’ Club,Thazhava,Kuthirappanthy’(KLM34/2008‐2009) and conduct all its programs here. We support their activities in reviving paddy cultivation in the village; assist in the preparation of reports, statement of accounts and in fulfilling other official formalities; help in organising seminars by arranging experts and also by providing facilities for conducting the meetings.

• School Nutrition Garden Program.

This is our most important program towards achieving food and nutritional security by creating awareness among students and through capacity building. Following the adage ’Catch them young’ this program envisages in creating a sense of self reliance among students; an ability to communicate with nature; familiarise with a refreshing relaxation technique and, above all, an opportunity to consume wholesome, fresh vegetables,greens and fruits that are an absolute must for thier active growth and total developement.

• Popularisation of Mushroom Cultivation.

Promoting profittable farm‐enterprises for nutritional security and supplementary income genaration is a priority area for NST. One such enterprise we have taken up is ‘mushroom cultivation. Kerala’s climate, availability of substrate for cultivation, access to technical ‘know‐how’, marketting facility and above all, a new awakening about the usefulness of mushroom as an item of food are all factors that have encouraged us.

At NST,we give hands‐on‐training in the cultivation of both ‘oyster’ and’milky’ mushrooms to interested persons. We support production by supplying good quality spawn,produced by NST.In addition,we also facilitate the sale of their produce. Help is rendered in the preparation of projects for funding mushroom production by various agencies. Navasakti Mushroom Society has been registered (Q568/2008) as per the Charitable Societies Act.

• Promotion of Self‐help groups. 4

On‐ farm value addition is a definite way to enhance the farmer’s revenue. Here at NST, post harvest processing of seasonal fruits, vegetables, Tubers and other produce is taken up by the’ Navasakti Self‐help Group’ promoted by the trust. By processing , the utilization period of seasonal fruits is extended considerably. This helps in avoiding the distress sale of perishable commodities, in pocuring remunerative prices, and also helps to widen the ways in which a fruit or vegetable can be consumed. Our members started produced Jams, Suashes and jellies from pine apple, which otherwise would have been sold at a ridiculous price of Rs 5 per Kg. The value addition has helped them to realise thrice the price. Pikle making has also been taten up and the trust has obtained the necessary licence from the Panchayath for this purpose.

• Holistic Life stylemodification.

Navasakti Trust cares for the all‐encompassing development and well‐being of the farming community. To attest this, the trust conducts programs on ‘yoga’,holistic life‐ style modification training, ‘Prakruti jeevanam’ and conducts discourses on Great Texts like the ‘Bhagavath Gita’.

Our Future Programmes

• Establishment of a Farmers’ Training Centre for imparting hand‐on training in Post‐harvest management and Value‐addition of farm producelike coconut,vegetables, fruits and greens to enterprising youth and farm women so as to increase income from unit area and to insulate the farmers against market vagaries. Use of labour‐saving and women‐ friendly machinery and methods would assume priority.

• To take our Mushroom Programme to Export Quality standards, with improved packaging to meet both local and export markets swith the co‐ operation of a local Super‐Market chain..

• To induce farmers to manage the root‐wilt affected palms by eco‐friendly bio‐ control methods to improve nut yields, and generate additional income through value‐addition.

• We will continue promoting Vegetable & Nutrition Garden Programmes in Schools and households, to prevent food‐related ailments, blindness and intellectual dwarfism.

• Contract farming will be organized for raising medicinal plants that have ready market in local Ayurvedic Clinics, based on actual demand.

• We wish to popularise low‐budget farming methods,so as to make farming a more cost‐effective venture.

• Promote dry‐land paddy cultivation for local consumption, and value‐addition from rice products..

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• We would also like to expand our Ornamental & Fruit crops cultivation, such as Jasmine, chrysanthemum, marigold and coxcomb. In Pineapple, we see ample scope for value‐addition through preparation of Jams and Juices

• Another objective is to revive dying arts & crafts, such as the Thazha Mat weaving cottage industry, which is dwindling away due to shortage of raw materials, since all live fences using this spiny‐leaved Screwpine (Pandanus) shrub are rapidly getting replaced with cement concrete slabs (Snehamadil). Urgent steps are called for to conserve all native germplasm of this shrub in order to revive this handicraft.

• Navasakti also proposes to organize field trips for school & college pupils to the locally available “Sacred Groves” (Sarpakkaavu), which symbolize our ancient system of conserving Nature and its flora & fauna, in its pristine glory, undisturbed by human depradation, in order to inculcate the love of Nature among youth, and seek their help in the preparation of a Biodiversity Register.

Thazhava Declaration on Sustainable Food Security of Kerala

–The Role of Agro‐biodiversity

Kerala is an Agricultural Bio-diversity Paradise, traditionally having diversified food habits involving Rice, Tapioca, Yams, Vegetables, jack and banana, fish and other animal products. Until about 1850 Kerala was even exporting Rice, but today the gap between Production & Demand is so huge that Kerala has to import Rice from three neighbouring States, besides Punjab, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar, to the tune of 40 lakh tonnes, out of its annual requirement of 48 lakh tonnes. This gap can be narrowed down by enlarging the Food Security Basket to include the vanishing under-utilized crops, which must be saved by creating an economic stake in agro-biodiversity conservation and providing social prestige to conservers, by establishing Food Security Saviour Awards, to recognize outstanding Farmers & Tribal families, Panchayats & Nagarpalikas, conserving agro-biodiversity in the form of land races of Rice, tubers, vegetables, and indigenous cattle like ‘Vechur’ and ‘Kasaragod Dwarf’.

Kerala should launch a ‘Bridge the Yield Gap’ Movement, to help farmers fill the prevailing huge gap between Potential & Actual productivity by supporting technologies, services (like improved seeds), and Public Policies designed to ensure a remunerative price for farm produce, in view of the prevailing high cost of farm labour. If Farm Ecology & Economics go wrong, nothing else will go right in Agriculture. Because of its varied topography & agro-ecosystems, Kerala should launch a ‘Conservation Farming Movement’ to conserve and improve the ecological foundation essential for Sustainable Agriculture, like land, water and bio-diversity.

The Global Food Security situation is getting worse due to the uneconomic nature of Farming on the one hand, and deteriorating ecological conditions on the other. Climate change due to global warming poses great threat to Kerala’s coastal communities due to rising sea-level. Anticipatory research and measures should be undertaken to strengthen concurrently the ecological and livelihood security of families living near shoreline. Unique Agro-ecosystems like

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Kuttanad where Paddy is cultivated below sea-level, designated as Ramsar site, should be developed as ‘Special Agricultural Zones’(SAZ), based on integrated application of the principles of Ecology, Economics, Social & Gender Equity, and employment generation.

Decentralized farm production should be supported by key centralized services in the areas of salinity control & management, plant protection, farm machinery & post-harvest technology, in order to integrate the advantages of ‘Mass Production’ technologies like land preparation, salinity management, harvesting, threshing & storage, with the ‘Production by Masses’ approach involving the active participation of small holders in the ‘Production-Marketing Chain’. Kerala is ideally suited for Mixed Farming Systems, involving crop-livestock-fish integrated production systems. For Rice Farmers, multiple livelihood opportunities like the establishment of ‘Rice Bio-Parks’ would enhance the total household income. Kerala’s Agro-biodiversity Conservation movement should be based on integrated attention to ‘Conservation-Cultivation- Consumption-Commerce’ chain.

The National Policy for Farmers has called for an income-orientation to farming. Owing to its high literacy rate, Kerala offers tremendous opportunities for promoting knowledge-intensive farming systems, which are intellectually satisfying and economically rewarding, for attracting & retaining educated youth in farming. For conserving and utilizing agro-biodiversity for sustainable food security, a ‘Kerala State Coalition for Agro-biodiversity Conservation for Food Security’ may be formed with the active participation of Government, Non-Government & Tribal Farmer Organizations and Academic Institutions.

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