The Annadana Seed Bank was inaugurated and blessed by H.H. Yogrishi Swami Ramdev at Ishana in Gopathi farms today. The first of its kind in Bangalore, the core objective of Annadana Seed Bank is “Annam bahu kurvita” which translates to “Multiply the grain manifold,” ensuring an abundance of food.

Swami Ramdev was warmly welcomed and greeted by Annadana’s farmer’s children who school at Parmanand Education trust run by Anita Narshiman.

Inaugurating the seed bank for traditional heritage seeds Swami Ramdev said “Our seeds are our heritage. Through the conservation of our traditional seeds, we are reclaiming our Swabhiman.” He called upon all farmers in the country to start conserving traditional seeds as a duty to their motherland.  Swami Ramdev appreciated the efforts taken by Annadana seed savers to build a low cost sustainable farm model one that is replicable through out the country. Annadana’s Seed Bank being a unique model uses low-cost material for insulation of the walls to ensure controlled conditions of temperature and moisture. What truly appealed to him was that this could be applied to any traditional existing structure by rural farmers and farming communities at village and district levels with minimal investment. The wooden racks with mesh drying trays are so well designed that provides seeds with adequate shade and ventilation. An hot air oven determines and eliminates moisture in seed by drying under precisely prescribed and controlled conditions. This influences the longevity and viability of seeds. Traditional vegetable seeds displayed of diverse varieties of corns, capsicums, brinjals, lettuces, tomatoes and more in just one season of four month vegetable crop cycle intrigued Swamiji.  He added: “Sangita will help in replicating this seed bank in all villages throughout our country to preserve our rich heritage.”

This honour bestowed on Annadana’s spirited team of energised farmers was truly gratifying.

Swami Ramdevji was thereafter accompanied on an brisk educational farm trail themed ‘From Soil to Seed to Plate.’

Swami Ramdev’s dreams of an “entirely healthy India & healthy world.” He is closely involved with creating employment opportunities for rural marginal farmers and ensuring safe food, a mission that Annadana has been striving to facilitate for over a decade and will continue in its endeavour with much vigour.

Bangalore: The four-day-long (December 3-6) Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT) on Agrochemical Transnational Corporations has indicted six big international agro-chemical companies for poisoning, violation of the right to health, life, food, livelihood, civil and political rights and violation of women’s and children’s rights.

The PPT on Agrochemical TNCs is organised by Pesticide Action Network International, a global network of more than 600 organisations in over 90 countries which has been working to eliminate the use of pesticides and other hazardous technologies. PPT has urged the international community to act tough on these erring companies. The verdict came after hearing 19 witnesses, four technical witnesses and 15 survivors of various agro-chemical disasters worldwide.

Testimonies came from victims of pesticide poisoning, scientists, and health experts. The testimonies strongly pinpointed the culpability of Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer, BASF, Dow Chemical, and DuPont in cases that range from poisoning of the Arctic region to the death of bees, and illnesses and even death of workers using certain pesticides.

PPT prosecutor Mr Jobert Pahilga, stated that the testimonies of the witnesses clearly show that these Big Six companies are guilty of gross, systematic, and widespread violations of human rights, both by what they have done and what they have failed to do. They are guilty of wilfully manufacturing and selling products that have harmed humans and the environment, of manipulating science and the truth, and of violating the sovereign right of peoples.

“They are guilty of evading responsibility for their crimes and denying victims proper redress,” he added. Jury chairman Upendra Baxi stated that corporations have replaced responsibility with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. They are accountable only to their shareholders. “People shouldn’t be considered merely as factors of production or as disposable. Dignity is the key issue,” he stated. Juror Elmar Altvater said that pesticide poisoning has been deregulated under neo-liberal globalisation. “Their practices have led to the financial crisis world wide,” he added.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/tribunal-indicts-six-firms-violating-people%E2%80%99s-rights-885

CHANDIGARH:Himachal Pradesh cabinet in its meeting held here on Friday granted approval to the eco-friendly organic farming policy to benefit small, medium and large farmers, by making efficient use of local and renewable resources, improve fertility of the soil, maximize circulation of plant nutrients and motivate farmers to avoid use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc.

The policy aims at providing support services to farmers switching over to organic farming. Critical cadres of scientific manpower with knowledge of organic agriculture will be built up. Scientists of Dr. Y.S.Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan and Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar University of Agriculture, Palampur, will be carrying exhaustive research in organic farming besides introducing diploma or certificate Courses in Organic Agriculture. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, presided over the meeting.

The Green Revolution swept across India in the 1960s and 1970s, changing it from a nation begging for food aid to a top cotton and grain producer. But ‘Green’ did not refer to organic farming. Instead, politicians, scientists and philanthropists argued that by switching from traditional to Western farming methods – using pesticides and fertilisers - India could fight hunger.

Today, India’s pesticide industry is worth billions of dollars but there appears to be a high price – devastating health problems for communities where pesticides like endosulfan are intensively used.

With pesticide companies claiming their products are safe, 101 East investigates India’s killer spray.

Download the full video from:

http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/101east/2011/10/2011101874059235387.html

By Rudraneil Sengupta. livemint.com Fri, Oct 21 2011

Thakur Das, 62, sifts through unhusked grains of basmati on the terrace of his two-storeyed house on the outskirts of Dehradun. The floor of the terrace is a carpet of gold—his rice harvest spread out to dry in the crisp September sun. Das’ basmati is special. It’s grown from indigenous seeds that make the Dehradun variety of basmati one of the best known in India, in soil that has no chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

It has not always been like this. Like most farmers in the area, Das was convinced that chemicals were needed to get a good yield. Then in1995, Das was contacted by Navdanya, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that promotes organic farming. “They asked us about our farming practices, our yield, the rates at which we sell,” says Das, “and offered us alternatives which we liked. They assured us that our old practice of using gobar khaad (a natural fertilizer made of cow dung) will work, and taught us other techniques of organic farming.”

Full article: http://www.livemint.com/2011/10/21212811/Navdanya–A-nonchemical-gree.html?h=B