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July
- 2009 |
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| Dear Nature Lovers, |
Our
actions will change the world. It already has.
This year’s
monsoon is indicating a major change in climate… It’s
July & still we had to wait for monsoon to arrive. Its
time to check & change what we do in life… either
adopt more environment friendly ways or perish due to unhealthy
environment.
Our rain-fed agricultural system is in great trouble now.
Can we afford to loose our food ? Obviously NO… we need
to find solutions… towards a sustainable & healthy
living. |
Regards,
Ketaki & Manasi. |
Agro-diversity…
Native & diverse crops…Choice of food makes a lot of difference in crop pattern. Local cultivars are vanishing very fast from farming community. Traditionally, India had thousands of rice varieties specific to each micro-climatic region, today only commercially valued few are grown. Few traditional rice varieties are even known to have medicinal values like Njavara, the unique short duration land rice of Kerala. Mango which is naturally growing in our forests had hundreds of varieties but now all cultivation is focused on growing 'Alphanso'. There are many advantages of local, non-hybrid varieties like they need less water, are hardy & adapted to environment, are resistant to pest attack, seeds are locally available, are better for health. On contrary, GM crops may have negative impacts on health of humans & environment.
It’s
been thought that local varieties with organic inputs will
not give desired yields, which is misleading, and was proven
wrong by many scientists & practitioners like Masanobu
Fukuoka.
It
is essential to conserve the different traits of native crop
varieties evolved through the combined process of natural
selections and artificial selections in different eco-climatic
conditions over the centuries with their fragrance, taste,
medicinal and high yielding properties. In growing market
of company monopoly over hybrid or GM seeds, farmers must
start conserving & saving local seeds for ensured crop
& food security.
Population is growing fast… with increased wants &
ever increasing demands for resources…. Though technology
provides the ‘accessories’ it really can not grow
food ! This domain still remains with soil, water & nature
without any doubt.
We can start with the basic need – ‘food’,
- Search for local cultivars
- Demand for organic food
- Use less processed, natural food
- Explore locally grown varieties
- Encourage farmers to grow & save native seeds
- Grow your food without chemicals using food waste &
waste water on small scale
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Save the inserted calendar image and set it as desktop background
for your computer monitor. |
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You can visit link Native
Plants to read more about Native Plants. |
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Do visit link Course Details about One Year Diploma Course in
Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Development and Ecological
Restoration conducted by Ecological Society, starting in July.
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Please Note
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This Email is a part of awareness campaign initiated
by oikos, Pune.
Write to us for your valuable feedback. oikos
have been sending 'Desktop calendars' since January '06 with
various themes, which can be downloaded from website.
If you
are not willing or not the correct recipient of this Email,
kindly reply this mail with subject 'unsubscribe'. Thanking
you for your precious time. |
| Spread a word !! Forward to
nature lovers ! |
Click on the image to enlarge |
| oikos for ecological services
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| Ph. 020-65289576 |
Web: www.oikos.in
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