Baskar Save - Letter - From - Indian - Farmer
Baskar Save - Letter - From - Indian - Farmer
Baskar Save - Letter - From - Indian - Farmer
.
Agricultural Mis-education
This country has more than 150 agricultural universities, many with huge land-holdings of
thousands of acres. They have no dearth of infrastructure, equipment, staff, money, … And yet,
not one of these heavily subsidized universities makes any profit, or grows any significant
amount of food, if only to feed its own staff and students. But every year, each churns out
several hundred ‘educated’ unemployables, trained only in misguiding farmers and spreading
ecological degradation.
In all the six years a student spends for an M. Sc. in agriculture, the only goal is short-term –
and narrowly perceived – ‘productivity’. For this, the farmer is urged to do and buy a hundred
things. But not a thought is spared to what a farmer must never do so that the land remains
unharmed for future generations and other creatures. It is time our people and government wake
up to the realisation that this industry-driven way of farming – promoted by our institutions – is
inherently criminal and suicidal!
Gandhi declared: Where there is soshan, or exploitation, there can be no poshan, or nurture!
Vinoba Bhave added, “Science wedded to compassion can bring about a paradise on earth. But
divorced from non-violence, it can only cause a massive conflagration that swallows us in its
flames.”
Trying to increase Nature’s ‘productivity,’ is the fundamental blunder that highlights the
ignorance of ‘agricultural scientists’ like you. Nature, unspoiled by man, is already most generous
in her yield. When a grain of rice can reproduce a thousand-fold within months, where arises the
need to increase its productivity?
Numerous kinds of fruit trees too yield several hundred thousand kg of nourishment each in
their lifetime! That is, provided the farmer does not pour poison and mess around the tree in his
greed for quick profit. A child has a right to its mother’s milk. But if we draw on Mother Earth’s
blood and flesh as well, how can we expect her continuing sustenance!
The mindset of servitude to ‘commerce and industry,’ ignoring all else, is the root of the
problem. But industry merely transforms ‘raw materials’ sourced from Nature into commodities. It
cannot create anew. Only Nature is truly creative and self-regenerating – through synergy with
the fresh daily inflow of the sun’s energy.
Engineered Pestilence
The exotic varieties, grown with chemical ‘fertiliser’, were more susceptible to ‘pests and
diseases’, leading to yet more poison (insecticides, etc.) being poured. But the attacked insect
species developed resistance and reproduced prolifically. Their predators – spiders, frogs, etc. –
that fed on these insects and ‘biologically controlled’ their population, were exterminated. So
were many beneficial species like the earthworms and bees.
Agribusiness and technocrats recommended stronger doses, and newer, more toxic (and more
expensive) chemicals. But the problems of ‘pests’ and ‘diseases’ only worsened. The spiral of
ecological, financial and human costs mounted!
In Conclusion:
I hope you have the integrity to support widespread change to mixed organic farming, tree-
planting and forest regeneration (with local resources and rights) – that India greatly needs. I
would be glad to answer any query or doubt posed to me, preferably in writing. I also welcome
you to visit my farm with reasonable prior notice. Since many years, I have extended an open
invitation to any one interested in natural/organic farming to visit Kalpavruksha, on any Saturday
afternoon between 2.00 and 4.00 pm., which continues till date.
I may finally add that this letter has been transcribed in English by Bharat Mansata, based on
discussions with me in Gujarati. (The annexures hereto are excerpted from his forthcoming book,
‘The Vision of Natural Farming,’ Earthcare Books, which draws largely on my experience.)
Whether or not you agree with my views, I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Bhaskar H. Save
Copy to: (i) The Prime Minister of India, (ii) The Union Minister for Agriculture, (iii) The
Chairperson, National Advisory Council, (iv) The media.
Annexures:
1) Comparison of Chemical Farming and Organic Farming
2) An Introduction to Kalpavruksha (my farm)
3) Recorded Opinions of Visitors
4) A Biographical Note
5) Note on a Traditional Six-Crop, Integral System – in a low rainfall zone, providing diverse
yield round the year without any irrigation or external input.
6) Content Overview and More Excerpts from ‘The Vision of Natural Farming’
Annexure 1: Comparison of Chemical Farming & Organic Farming:
-- by Bhaskar Save, transcribed from Gujarati to English by Bharat Mansata
1) Chemical farming fragments the web of life; organic farming nurtures its wholeness
2) Chemical farming depends on fossil oil; organic farming on living soil.
3) Chemical farmers see their land as a dead medium; organic farmers know theirs is
teeming with life.
4) Chemical farming pollutes the air, water and soil; organic farming purifies and renews
them.
5) Chemical farming uses large quantities of water and depletes aquifers; organic farming
requires much less irrigation, and recharges groundwater.
6) Chemical farming is mono-cultural and destroys diversity; organic farming is poly-cultural
and nurtures diversity.
7) Chemical farming produces poisoned food; organic farming yields nourishing food.
8) Chemical farming has a short history and threatens a dim future; organic farming has a
long history and promises a bright future.
9) Chemical farming is an alien, imported technology; organic farming has evolved
indigenously.
10) Chemical farming is propagated through schooled, institutional misinformation; organic
farming learns from Nature and farmers’ experience.
11) Chemical farming benefits traders and industrialists; organic farming benefits the farmer,
the environment and society as a whole.
12) Chemical farming robs the self-reliance and self-respect of farmers and villages; organic
farming restores and strengthens it.
13) Chemical farming leads to bankruptcy and misery; organic farming liberates from debt
and woe.
14) Chemical farming is violent and entropic; organic farming is non-violent and synergistic.
15) Chemical farming is a hollow ‘green revolution’; organic farming is the true green
revolution.
16) Chemical farming is crudely materialistic, with no ideological mooring; organic farming is
rooted in spirituality and abiding truth.
17) Chemical farming is suicidal, moving from life to death; organic farming is the road to
regeneration.
18) Chemical farming is the vehicle of commerce and oppression; organic farming is the path
of culture and co-evolution.
[Note: Annexures 2 to 6 are being sent separately to avoid overloading.]