Efforts to increase food production generally emphasize intensively developed areas which already have high levels of production. On the one hand many areas recording much lower levels of food production…
In Bamauri village of Talbehat block (Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh) Maniram and his wife Shanti work in most difficult conditions to cultivate their small one hectare farm. The farm…
by Bharat Dogra and Jagmohan Singh Conventional analysis of the well-being of farmers often looked at the productivity, yields and income derived from their farms. However it is increasingly realized…
India is an agrarian country, but today Indian agriculture is facing a significant threat. The continuous use of various types of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is leading to soil degradation,…
In Kenya, a law was passed in 2012 that prohibits farmers’ rights to save, share, exchange or sell unregistered seeds. Farmers could face up to two years in prison and…
Thanks to the efforts of a voluntary organization Srijan spread over several years, Tikamgarh district (Madhya Pradesh) has emerged as an important center for the spread of natural farming practices.…
Phoola Devi and Devidayal work hard on their small plot of less than two acres of farmland in Larvari village, in Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh. Despite their best efforts,…
If you meet Komal Prasad Aharwar in passing in his village ( Teraih, in Talbehat block of Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh), you may well ignore him as any other ordinary…
Industry figures and scientists claim pesticide use and GMOs are necessary in ‘modern agriculture’. But this is not the case: there is now sufficient evidence to suggest otherwise. It is simply not necessary…
On the farming map of Uttar Pradesh Mahoba is generally considered a relatively backward district of Bundelkhand region, but thanks to a recent initiative called BIWAL a model combining water…
Santosh is a dedicated farmer who along with his wife Chunni Devi worked very hard in recent months to convert a small patch of unproductive land into a lush green,…
Most farm development efforts focus more on bigger and more dominant farmers, and while they may also include smaller farmers, this gets lesser attention. It is rare to see a…
About 30 farmers of Elha village ( in Manikpur block of Chitrakut district, Uttar Pradesh) have gathered for a group discussion in the courtyard of a farmer, along with activists…
One of the most important questions in the development debate is whether economic viability of small and marginal farmers can be strengthened in sustainable ways. This question is all the…
While a lot of research has strengthened the case for spreading natural farming, a practical factor which has hindered its spread in India is that several farmers find it difficult…
Phulabai is a dalit woman farmer who, together with her husband, Sarman Chadaar, grows guavas and pomegranates on tiny plots of land. On another smaller plot they grow a diversity…
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, most humans were engaged in agriculture. Our relationship with nature was immediate. Within just a few generations, however, for many people across the world, their…
There have been several assertions on the part of the union government at high levels that natural farming will be promoted by it in a big way. While natural farming…
From time to time there are disturbing reports of environmental ruin in various green revolution belts of the country. The most prominent such belt is that of Punjab-Haryana-Western UP and…
After the acceptance of the demand for the repeal of three farm laws, the minimum support price (MSP) issue is now the main remaining issue between the government and the…
Written by Kunzang Deachen, Chozin Palmo and Jigmet Singge Ladakh – high on the Tibetan Plateau at the northern extreme of India – is the place we call home. The…
According to recent official data of Himachal Pradesh government, its efforts to spread natural farming practices among farmers have led to 56 per cent reduction of costs of farmers and…
When Yogesh Gandhi set up his medical store in Phaltan about 100 km from Pune in Satara district of Maharashtra, he invited his uncle, natural farmer Babulal Gandhi, to make…
Hilly areas with their varying heights and land categories are known for their valuable bio-diversity which should be protected. The vast Himalayan ranges including hills and valleys, plains and peaks…
Seed is the base of all life. Recognizing this obvious fact, farmers for well over a hundred generations and for several thousand years cared for seeds, respected seeds, and helped…
Recently Sant Seechewal, saint and award winning eco-activist of Punjab, visited protesting farmers at Delhi border with the precious gift of a truckload of healthy food. However the message he…
While the social benefits of ecologically protective, organic and/or natural farming are so obvious, it is sometimes said that in economic terms this may not be so beneficial for farmers…
The farmers’ movement in India has a historically very important role in protecting the small ( and medium ) farmer base of agriculture in the country. In recent times the…
There is worldwide realization that food system has been becoming less safe and healthy. This is to a large extent because of the use of excessive chemical fertilizers, pesticides and…
An assortment of organically grown produce lay out at a Farmer’s Market Prior to this pandemic summer, every year from May to November -- there was something magical about waking…
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the risks of an unhealthy diet and the extreme fragility of food systems. The economic reconstruction that will follow the pandemic is the perfect opportunity…
It is possible to feed more than 9 billion people with organic production methods with a small increase in the required crop acreage and with decreased greenhouse gas emission. But…
An interview with Miguel Ramirez, National Coordinator of the Organic Agriculture Movement of El Salvador We say that every square meter of land that is worked with agro-ecology is a…
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