October 2009 Issue Ten (For private circulation) THE(Past issues at www.ofai.org) LIVING FIELD Farmers Shine & Sparkle at OFAI’s Organic Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Farming Conference at Bengaluru Council Act-2009 Junked It was the quickest possible victory for the farming community in several years. On 10th September 2009, Tamilnadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announced the burial of the Tamilnadu Agricultural Council Act, 2009. The Bill had been passed in the Tam- ilnadu Assembly barely two months earlier. The action came after huge spontaneous pro- tests were erupted from the farming commu- nity and political parties against the passing of the Bill. They charged that the Bill would further impoverish the farming community and rob it of its wealth of knowledge about farming practices of which modern agricul- tural scientists had no clue. The Bill stipulated that only persons with degrees in agriculture, forestry, home science, agricultural engineering and related subjects (from just three TN universities) could func- tion as agricultural consultants and render ag- OFAI’s President, D.D. Bharamagoudra speaks at the inaugural session of the South Asia Conference. ricultural services and disseminate agricultural The Conference was declared open by S.K. Patnaik, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, GOI. knowledge within the State. n 10 September, 2009, Mr. S.K. Pat- However, due to the intervention of Dr A.K. Farmers groups across the state first moved a naik, Joint Secretary (Horticulture), Yadav, the conference was shifted to the resolution during the special “Grama Sabha” Ministry of Agriculture, Government campus of the Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (village panchayat general body) held across Oof India, inaugurated the South Asia Confer- (GKVK) of the University of Agricultural Sci- the State on the 15th of August, Independence ence on “Outstanding Organic Agriculture ences, Bangalore (Bengaluru). Day. Several villages also decided to put up Techniques” at Kuvempu Auditorium, GKVK- notices outside their village announcing their Since the citizens of Bangalore should know disapproval of the Bill and informing members Bangalore, in the presence of Vice-Chancellor of the event, it was decided to work with Dr. P. G. Chengappa, NCOF Director, Dr. registered with the Council that the village other organizations to present an “Organic would not transact any business with them. Ashok K. Yadav, OFAI President D.D. Bhara- Mela”. So OFAI teamed up with Jaivik Krushi magoudra, IFOAM Vice-President Mr. Andre Society (headed ex-officio by Addl. Director, The successful campaign against the Bill was Leu, OFAI Director, Dr. Claude Alvares, Karnataka State Dept. of Horticulture) at Lal masterminded by the members of TN Farmers ICCOA Director Mr. Manoj K. Menon and Baug on the weekend. That event too proved Forum, TNWC, Dr G. Nammalwar, LEISA, other dignitaries. There were more than fifty to be an outstanding success and a great hit DDS, FEDCOT, OFAI and the TN Envi- delegates from Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri for consumers looking for organic food. ronmental Council. OFAI congratulates the Lanka, China, Malaysia, Australia, Ethiopia coalition on its success. and United Kingdom. Though we had initially planned for 200 people at the SAC, the conference eventually Ramdev Goes All-Organic The travel costs of foreign delegates to the played host over 400, including 50 foreign SAC were generously borne by the Third delegates. Besides the OFAI Goa-based staff, All the organic produce from the Indian Word Network, Malaysia. The NCOF sup- Dr. P.V. Satheesh of Deccan Development state of Uttarakhand will be bought by yoga ported the OFAI conference with grants-in- Society-Hyderabad; Ms. Sangita Sharma of guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth, a aid for local expenses while the University of Annadana-Bangalore; Dr. Bharatendu Prakash Haridwar-based ashram. This information was Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, graciously of OFAI-North India, Dr. Sultan Ismail from announced by the State’s Minister for Agri- permitted the use of its infrastructure and Chennai, Dr. Sujata Goel from Kodagu, P. culture, Trivendra Singh Rawat. The move facilities. Babu from ICRA, Krishna Prasad, Jairam will naturally give a tremendous boost to the OFAI embarked on its ambitious mission to from Era Organics and others chipped in with organic farming in the state. conduct the very first South Asia Conference their strengths. Mr. Rawat also said the government has on Organic Agriculture Techniques [SAC] The University of Agricultural Sciences, Ban- declared the minimum support price or MSP early this year. The first venue proposed was galore, did more than its share. It volunteered, of Rs 15.64 for organic wheat. Uttarakhand’s Pune, site of the new International Institute of and did more than what we could reasonably organic produce includes wheat, maize, buck- Sustainable Agriculture (IISA). ...continued on pg. 2 col. 1 wheat, ragi and other coarse grains. 2 Third World Network funded the travel component of the 50 plus foreign delegates. For the first time instead of NGO representa- tives, we insisted (and got) organic farmers as participants. For many, it was their first visit to India. The best organic farmers from all over the country made it a point to attend. Informal atmosphere throughout. Farmers were free to attend any session or workshop. No restrictions were placed on any one to at- tend any specific item on the programme. Organic farmers were in control of the pre- sentations and main workshops throughout. It was their show. They carried it off in style. The stage was decorated by a specialist group led by Mr. Chandrashekar from Shimoga. Two cultural troupes regaled the audience. Excellent organic food prepared by “green caterers” Bangalore Urban Spaces Pvt. Ltd., who sourced their organic materials to Aparna Dr A.K. Yadav, popular Director of the National Centre of Organic Farming, Ghaziabad, addresses of Adi Naturals. the South Asia Conference on “Outstanding Organic Agriculture Techniques” ...continued from pg. 1 col. 2 Crunchy dinner from the Millets Network of India (MINI). expect. The organizational structure moved All the main hall presentations and the work- almost seamlessly between OFAI and UAS shops were videographed under the direction Excellent accommodation provided by H.R. right from Dr. P. G. Chengappa and Dr. S. of Dr Sultan Ismail. He worked closely with Jairam of Era Organics who allowed the organ- Jaganath through the entire faculty and staff. Amrut, the videographer from Belgaum. As a isers to turn his eco-serviced apartments into a We worked as one and that is the secret of our result, OFAI now has the entire proceedings home for the foreign delegates, with plenty of good organic vegetarian food and a very cheer- success. professionally done on a set of DVDs. ful staff. Everyone admired the absence of formalities Conference delegates were amazed to encoun- at GKVK campus. It felt like an OFAI event ter the huge selection of books on organic Professional sound and video servicing by anywhere in India. farming in various languages displayed in a Ravi. At the end of the conference, he provid- conference room next to the main hall. The ed us CDs of all the powerpoints without even Altogether more than 24 power point presen- booksale was organised by Other India Book- a request from the organizers. tations were made on all aspects of organic store from Goa. The Bookstore made a record farming. With the exception of five, all the Hard pre-conference work done by Miguel Rs.2 lakh sale on just two days. rest were done by organic farmers. This is an Braganza, Nyla Coelho, Reshma Pednekar and unprecedented development that will inspire The secret of the conference’s success? Sonali Chari from the OFAI central secretariat. others in future. Several factors. One, wholehearted support There were many shortcomings. Few people All the major solutions including jeevamrut, from Dr. A. K. Yadav (NCOF) and Dr. P. G. complained. Everyone was just happy to be panchagayva, fish and egg solutions, plant ex- Chengappa (Vice Chancellor, UAS) and his there, participating in a great learning event tracts for insect repellants, amrut pani, amrut staff. They also helped with University accom- which will be remembered for some time to mitti, vermiculture, biodung, seed preparation, modation. come. etc., were made on the spot. Some workshops had to be repeated six times due to demand. Silver Jubilee of Bhopal tober, 2008) were discussed in detail. Vari- Events calendar ous venues like Bhubaneshwar-Orissa, Gas Tragedy Bijnore-U.P, Ahmedabad-Gujarat, etc., 11th NSC Meeting The NSC adjourned from its 10th meeting were considered as the venue for the third The 11th meeting of the NSC will be held at Shahapur-Bhopal to perform “Shrad- Biennial Convention of the Association in January 2010. The new NSC will be dhanjali” in memory of the victims of the scheduled in 2010. It was finally decided constituted for the years 2010-2013. The Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 03 December, to hold the event at one of the three NSC will also elect the new MC at the 1984, at the memorial erected near the possible venues in Gujarat, viz, Ahmed- same meeting. “Union Carbide/Dow Chemicals” factory abad, Anand or Vadodara, as the previous in Bhopal. On 03 December, 2009, is the conventions were held in Maharashtra at NIOFC-2 silver jubilee of this horrendous tragedy Wardha in 2006 and Tiruchirapalli-Tamil The 2nd NIOFC [North India Organic created by the pesticide industry. Victims Nadu in 2008. Farming Convention] will be held at of the tragedy and NGOs working with Indore in February 2010. Delegates would Responsibility for works is to be allotted them requested that OFAI member orga- be invited across North India. Dr. Bhara- to NSC members for the convention and nizations mark the day in a befitting way, tendu Prakash and Mr.