A small village in Tehri-Garhwal pioneers a unique movement to conserve and promote indigenous seeds and agricultural practices.
Jardhargaon, a village in the Tehri-Garhwal district of Uttaranchal, is home to a people?s movement to revive traditional agricultural practices and conserve indigenous seeds. The movement, known as the Beej Bachao Andolan (BBA), has its roots in the Chipko movement.
A farmer and social activist from Jardhargaon, Vijay Jardhari, realised that modern agriculture was destroying traditional farming. Crop yields of the ?high-yielding varieties? in modern agriculture were actually low; soil fertility was declining, leading to an increasing dependence on toxic chemicals. Along with other activists of the Chipko movement, Jardhari formed the BBA to promote traditional agriculture and crop varieties.
The first step was to discontinue the cultivation of chemical-dependent seeds. Jardhari and his colleagues started visiting villages in the region to learn more about traditional varieties of seeds. In the valley of Ramasirain, Uttarkashi district, farmers were growing a distinctive variety of red rice called chardhan. The rice was nutritious and suited to local requirements and conditions. Farmers also grew indigenous varieties like thapchini, jhumkiya, rikhwa and lal basmati. Agriculture here was untouched by modern practices and good yields were obtained without the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
To a casual onlooker the method of cultivation seemed like a maddening range of crops grown on a small piece of land. But what the farmers here were doing was avoiding monocultures. The method is called baranaja (12 grains), where a number of cereals and legumes were intercropped. The diversif! ication is security against drought and crop failure. Different crops are harvested at different times of the year and ensure year-round supply of food. This also maintains soil fertility and replenishes nitrogen.
To protect traditional varieties of seeds the BBA organises food marches as well as get-togethers and meetings to create awareness about the importance of protecting traditional seeds. Jardhari tries out different varieties and combinations of seeds, and takes back to the farmers the varieties that are particularly useful. BBA also actively promotes the use of traditional farming methods such as baranaja.
Today BBA has about 150 varieties of paddy from which 100 different varieties can still be grown. Of these, tapachini and jhamcha yield about 72 quintals per hectare. BBA has also collected 170 varieties of rajma. Effective pest control is accomplished by using the leaves of the waln! ut and neem, and the application of ash and cow?s urine. The use of traditional farming methods and seeds has resulted in higher yields. Health has improved as people have a balanced diet. Livestock health has improved too, because more fodder is available. At the same time soil fertility and agro-biodiversity have been conserved.
Contact:
Vijay Jardhari
Beej Bachao Andolan
PO Nagni, Tehri Garhwal
Uttaranchal, India
SOURCE
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Beej Bachao Andolan, Vividhara and many more...back again!
Beej Bachao Andolan, Vividhara and many other
groups from Uttarakhand
Invite you to
An Exhibition and Sale of Diverse, Healthful
Organic Foods and Natural Products
(amongst others, there’s a wide range of rajmas to choose from, breakfast cereals, spices, pickles, tea, natural cosmetics, flours, red rice, herbs, jams, nutritious millets, snacks, drinks, handicrafts, woollens…)
at reasonable prices, where the benefits go to the
Farmers, Environment and Your Health
(Now isn’t that quite a combination)
(Now isn’t that quite a combination)
at Uttarakhand Mela
Dilli Haat
Back lawns, next to Stage
till 7th February, 2008
_____________________________
Dilli Haat
Back lawns, next to Stage
till 7th February, 2008
_____________________________
Biodiverse Organic farming is integral to environment conservation, sustainable rural livelihoods and healthful food for all… and significantly to meeting the challenges of India’s agricultural crisis and farmers suicides…
Beej Bachao Andolan (BBA) - India
Region: Global, South Asia
Programme Summary: Jardhargaon, a small village in the Tehri-Garhwal district of Uttaranchal, pioneered a people's movement to conserve indigenous seeds and promote traditional agricultural practices. The movement was known as the Beej Bachao Andolan (BBA), or Save Our Seeds.
Communication Strategies
The first step in the programme was the discontinuation of the cultivation of chemical-dependent seeds. To accomplish this outcome, programme organisers visited villages in the region to learn more about traditional varieties of seeds. They then organised food marches as well as meetings to create awareness about the importance of protecting traditional seeds. Programme organisers sampled different varieties and combinations of seeds, returning to farmers the varieties that were particularly useful. BBA also actively promoted the use of traditional farming methods such as baranaja.
Development Issues
Agriculture, Environment.
Key Points
A farmer and social activist from Jardhargaon realised that modern agriculture was destroying traditional farming. Crop yields of the ‘high-yielding varieties' in modern agriculture were actually low and soil fertility was declining, leading to an increasing dependence on toxic chemicals. Along with other activists of the Chipko movement, this activist formed the BBA to promote traditional agriculture and crop varieties.In the valley of Ramasirain, Uttarkashi district, farmers were growing a distinctive variety of red rice called chardhan. The rice was nutritious and suited to local requirements and conditions. Farmers also grew indigenous varieties like thapchini, jhumkiya, rikhwa and lal basmati. Agriculture here was untouched by modern practices and good yields were obtained without the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. What the farmers here were doing was avoiding monocultures in a method called baranaja (12 grains) that involves the multicropping of a number of cereals and legumes. This diversification is security against drought and crop failure. Different crops are harvested at different times of the year and ensure year-round supply of food. This also maintains soil fertility and replenishes nitrogen.
Today BBA has about 150 varieties of paddy from which 100 different varieties can still be grown. Of these, tapachini and jhamcha yield about 72 quintals per hectare. BBA has also collected 170 varieties of rajma. Effective pest control is accomplished by using the leaves of the walnut and neem, and the application of ash and cow's urine. The use of traditional farming methods and seeds has resulted in higher yields, improved health of humans and livestock, and the increased conservation of soil fertility and agro-biodiversity.
Contact
Vijay Jardhari
Beej Bachao Andolan
PO Nagni, Tehri Garhwal
Uttaranchal, India
Placed on the Communication Initiative site April 15 2002
Last Updated February 15 2007
SOURCE
Programme Summary: Jardhargaon, a small village in the Tehri-Garhwal district of Uttaranchal, pioneered a people's movement to conserve indigenous seeds and promote traditional agricultural practices. The movement was known as the Beej Bachao Andolan (BBA), or Save Our Seeds.
Communication Strategies
The first step in the programme was the discontinuation of the cultivation of chemical-dependent seeds. To accomplish this outcome, programme organisers visited villages in the region to learn more about traditional varieties of seeds. They then organised food marches as well as meetings to create awareness about the importance of protecting traditional seeds. Programme organisers sampled different varieties and combinations of seeds, returning to farmers the varieties that were particularly useful. BBA also actively promoted the use of traditional farming methods such as baranaja.
Development Issues
Agriculture, Environment.
Key Points
A farmer and social activist from Jardhargaon realised that modern agriculture was destroying traditional farming. Crop yields of the ‘high-yielding varieties' in modern agriculture were actually low and soil fertility was declining, leading to an increasing dependence on toxic chemicals. Along with other activists of the Chipko movement, this activist formed the BBA to promote traditional agriculture and crop varieties.In the valley of Ramasirain, Uttarkashi district, farmers were growing a distinctive variety of red rice called chardhan. The rice was nutritious and suited to local requirements and conditions. Farmers also grew indigenous varieties like thapchini, jhumkiya, rikhwa and lal basmati. Agriculture here was untouched by modern practices and good yields were obtained without the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. What the farmers here were doing was avoiding monocultures in a method called baranaja (12 grains) that involves the multicropping of a number of cereals and legumes. This diversification is security against drought and crop failure. Different crops are harvested at different times of the year and ensure year-round supply of food. This also maintains soil fertility and replenishes nitrogen.
Today BBA has about 150 varieties of paddy from which 100 different varieties can still be grown. Of these, tapachini and jhamcha yield about 72 quintals per hectare. BBA has also collected 170 varieties of rajma. Effective pest control is accomplished by using the leaves of the walnut and neem, and the application of ash and cow's urine. The use of traditional farming methods and seeds has resulted in higher yields, improved health of humans and livestock, and the increased conservation of soil fertility and agro-biodiversity.
Contact
Vijay Jardhari
Beej Bachao Andolan
PO Nagni, Tehri Garhwal
Uttaranchal, India
Placed on the Communication Initiative site April 15 2002
Last Updated February 15 2007
SOURCE
Friday, December 21, 2007
Invitation: Dastkar - The Nature Bazaar!
Wild Organic Himalayan Foods
available in Stall No. F - 37
available in Stall No. F - 37
at Dilli Haat
(Opposite Tamil Nadu Foods)
till 31 Decemeber, 2007
(Opposite Tamil Nadu Foods)
till 31 Decemeber, 2007
Vividhara and Beej Bachao Andolan
are here with Organic Foods and Natural Products
from the Uttarakhand Himalayas
in Dastkar's Nature Bazaar
at Dilli Haat
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