Looking at natural farming models, Sunita Narain of Down-to-Earth says the business of science has lost the courage of imagination. Diverse variety of pelletised seeds planted before the monsoon are at work in 365-day green cover under natural farming. With least disturbance to the soil. Harvesting photosynthesis to the maximum extent possible, with higher water efficiency and lower water consumption. With local seeds, no chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and less water, costs are reduced, without the loss of crop productivity. Land productivity goes up. Crop intensity more than doubles. Land equivalence multiplies. Returns from land multiply, with risks minimized. Models, models with customized crop geometries, best practitioner peers, women self-help groups and federations with women’s agency, health and nutrition, and local value-chains with increased fairshare are taking the movement to scale. At their pace.
NITI Aayog begins 2047 Amrt Kaal visioning – Vikasit Bhaarat. For India and states. AP and Gujarat would be early states for visioning. One element in preliminary AP vision includes – national/global pioneer of resilient and sustainable use of land, soil and water – through natural farming. Arrived?
India, that is Bhaarat, celebrates Sarada Navaratri, Cultural nine nights – Garba-dandiya raas, Batukamma, Bommala Koluvu-Golu, Durga-Saraswati-Ayudha Puja. Upavaas. Tenth day is Vijayadasami, Dussehra, Dasara. With Sravana nakshatra. Victory of good over evil. Mahishasura mardan, Ram lila and Ravana samharam, Shami puja. Paalapitta darshanam. Seeing blue jay – Indian roller – bird. Alai-balai and exchange of shami leaves (as gold). Dasara – UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Harvest festival. Celebrations. Family get togethers and meetings with teachers-elders for greetings and blessings.
Democracy. Elections and handing powers to legislatures and executive. This is indirect and limited, once in a five year exercise. The pressures of citizen collectives, media – social media, apart from feedback into consultations, and advocacy add. More layers and levels of democratic forms help. Government on ground with local democratc governance, and local governments with more direct democracy add critical institutions that augment, sustain, maintain democracy in the hands of the last – poor, vulnerable and marginalised. Can we let them do the miracles and magic of people taking their livelihoods, well-being, lives and destiny into their hands?
Are we all not curious animals? Philosophical? Political? Design? Designing norms, institutions, cultural ethos et al. Are we generous enough to include all relevant stakeholders in? Are we making our institutions accessible to all of them? Are we liberal enough to add more and more spaces for accessing their rights, entitlements, and meeting their needs for decent living and usefulness? Spaces for negotiations?
Are we learning? From our experiences and our mistakes? Can we see Murphy’s law – anything that can go wrong will go wrong. We make incorrect choices and we get into Murphy. Can we write the problem ‘clearly’? If we can, the problem is half solved. Kidlin’s law at work. Gilbert is telling us that the biggest problem is no one tells us what to do. We are hired to find out what to do, how to do and deliver. Money will come if we put information and intelligence first everytime, Mr Walson. Should we decide, if we do not have to make a decision? Falkland says no. Can we unlearn?
We are dissatisfied when what we desire or expect is broken. We complain. Stress is built up in our heart, mind and body. In other peoples’ hearts, minds and bodies. Then we complain more, without fixing the expectation-play first. More we complain explicitly or otherwise, the more stress accumulates. We feel we are victims or we become. We feel powerless and we enter a vicious cycle. We get stuck in an ever growing vicious cycle. Increasing number of these cycles. The way out is an intelligent action and complaining may not be part of it. Into a virtuous cycle. Can we move into these new cycles?
Yes, we can. If we go in the way of hope, faith, promise, love, and coexistence. If we flow. The flow of N. For 7L.
Join us in the yoga of the virtuous cycle of being in harmony with nature – thriyoga for 7L.
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