In the first week of September, 2022 I traveled to Kigali, Rwanda for the AGRF Summit 2022. It was not too long back that I came across a continent-wide initiative called the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF). This appeared to be a useful forum to participate and gain a sense of national-level issues, debates and … Continue reading Notes from the AGRF Summit 2022, Rwanda – 1
Tag: Agriculture
Problem of small holdings in Indian agriculture & Ambedkar
April 2022. In some of Ambedkar’s lesser known writings lies a remarkably detailed paper on ‘small holdings in India and their remedies’. It is a detailed examination of what ails Indian agriculture and how can the identified problems be addressed. Ambedkar asks if the small holdings are also 'compact' holdings? 'Unfortunately they are not. A … Continue reading Problem of small holdings in Indian agriculture & Ambedkar
Notes on farming & mechanization
July, 2021. Another kharif season has begun. On the farms three week old saplings of soybean and pigeon pea await a good spell of rain. Here are a couple of observations from this season on our farms. Weather windows are getting considerably shorter. This leads to a very short period in which most cropping activities … Continue reading Notes on farming & mechanization
The many mirages in Indian agriculture
After a week of harvest and another of preparing the farm plots for next sowing season, here are some quick notes. Farm mechanisation is a serious need. The processes in small scale farming are completely manual. These are limiting the ways in which farmers organize farm processes and their ability to extract efficiencies from the … Continue reading The many mirages in Indian agriculture
Day 93: Learning from Ajangaon
July, 2020 25/06/2020 Day 93 The time spent in Wardha has helped in exploring ideas, realities and readings in agriculture. The village we have come to be associated with after buying the farm has become a reference point for knowing and comparing agricultural trends. By the way of reflection here are some observations from the … Continue reading Day 93: Learning from Ajangaon
Day 91: On villages
Farm. June 2020 23/06/2020 Day 91 These early morning rides from the farm to explore roads and trails around are facilitating a subtle kind of connection with the landscape. Knowing a space closely, in its directions, orientation, topology, people and physical forms drive this connection. In these rides I get to know the rhythms of … Continue reading Day 91: On villages
Day 45: Return to farms
Sabiha's Farm, Karnataka. 2019 08/05/2020 Day 45 The end of this lockdown has turned into a mirage now. It appears in view. We begin to cross dates on our calendars to reach it. As it comes closer there is a new situation kicking the end further away, shoving us back into our physical and mental … Continue reading Day 45: Return to farms
Contested Realities 