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* Cities are facing new challenges related to health care, rise in food prices and other basic services every day. | * Cities are facing new challenges related to health care, rise in food prices and other basic services every day. | ||
* Natural and traditional systems can offer us practical solutions and are a crucial resource to tap into. Problems can be seen as opportunities. | * Natural and traditional systems can offer us practical solutions and are a crucial resource to tap into. Problems can be seen as opportunities. | ||
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==== Methods ==== | ==== Methods ==== | ||
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The research started with preliminary discussions between the producer and the design researcher in Brusssels to define the project scope. | The research started with preliminary discussions between the producer and the design researcher in Brusssels to define the project scope. | ||
- | This was followed by a visit to the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam, one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. A living museum, the hortus is a green oasis in the middle of a bustling urban setting. Thereafter the design researcher shortlisted a series of core topics and [[questions]] which were used as triggers to inform him and in the discussion between him and the users, which in this case were inhabitants of a city. These discussions contributed in establishing the problem and understanding its complexity. In New Delhi, the focus shifted to the inhabitants of the city, the habitat in which they live and their links with nature. Special attention was given to the urban kitchen gardens in New Delhi and Chandani Chowk in Old Delhi which has continued to remain one of the most dense and thriving parts of Asia since the 15th century. Visits to Sarai(Centre for Development Studies) to document ongoing research projects related to ecology along with interaction with artsts at the Khoj community formed the second layer of the study. Interaction with the Biodiversity/ | + | This was followed by a visit to the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam, one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. A living museum, the hortus is a green oasis in the middle of a bustling urban setting. Thereafter the design researcher shortlisted a series of core topics and [[delhi interviews|questions]] which were used as triggers to inform him and in the discussion between him and the users, which in this case were inhabitants of a city. These discussions contributed in establishing the problem and understanding its complexity. In New Delhi, the focus shifted to the inhabitants of the city, the habitat in which they live and their links with nature. Special attention was given to the urban kitchen gardens in New Delhi and Chandani Chowk in Old Delhi which has continued to remain one of the most dense and thriving parts of Asia since the 15th century. Visits to Sarai(Centre for Development Studies) to document ongoing research projects related to ecology along with interaction with artsts at the Khoj community formed the second layer of the study. Interaction with the Biodiversity/ |
* // | * // | ||
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The subject of this project demands a sensitized and practical approach. The methodology was crucial to help the design researcher develop empathy for the cause and also become aware of the complexity of the problem at hand. Visiting the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala and subsequent visits to other sustainable enterprises dedicated to organic methods of farming and revitalisation of traditional Indian farming techniques were crucial to inform the research. It has helped the researcher appreciate the nuances and demands of the project. Reading the book, ‘An Agricultural Testament’ by Sir Albert Howard was a critical experience in realising the huge divide in agriculture methods between the orient and the occident. While, ' | The subject of this project demands a sensitized and practical approach. The methodology was crucial to help the design researcher develop empathy for the cause and also become aware of the complexity of the problem at hand. Visiting the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala and subsequent visits to other sustainable enterprises dedicated to organic methods of farming and revitalisation of traditional Indian farming techniques were crucial to inform the research. It has helped the researcher appreciate the nuances and demands of the project. Reading the book, ‘An Agricultural Testament’ by Sir Albert Howard was a critical experience in realising the huge divide in agriculture methods between the orient and the occident. While, ' | ||
- | ==== Solution/ | + | ====Solution/ |
* //concise description of the actual outcomes of the research // | * //concise description of the actual outcomes of the research // | ||
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=== Permaculture === | === Permaculture === | ||
- | [[Permaculture]] is an integrated, interdependent, | + | Permaculture is an integrated, interdependent, |
Permaculture also reflects the ongoing evolution of our knowledge systems and can be intepreted to any area which might benefit from such holistic design theory and practice. Human settlements, | Permaculture also reflects the ongoing evolution of our knowledge systems and can be intepreted to any area which might benefit from such holistic design theory and practice. Human settlements, | ||
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Further, insofar as permaculture is an appropriate response to limitations on use of energy and natural resources, it will move on from its current status as " | Further, insofar as permaculture is an appropriate response to limitations on use of energy and natural resources, it will move on from its current status as " | ||
- | == Permaculture Principles == | + | ==Permaculture Principles== |
Permaculture is a wholehearted adaptation to the ecological realities of decline and offers us a graceful and ethical descent. The process for providing for people' | Permaculture is a wholehearted adaptation to the ecological realities of decline and offers us a graceful and ethical descent. The process for providing for people' | ||
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How one inteprets the principles listed above and implements them is open for refinement and improvisation. One has to take responsibility and see problems as opportunities, | How one inteprets the principles listed above and implements them is open for refinement and improvisation. One has to take responsibility and see problems as opportunities, | ||
- | == Urban Permaculture == | + | ==Urban Permaculture== |
A permaculture garden is not a garden seen in nature. Though it might have a configuration like a forest in terms of stability and efficiency, it is rich in functional plants which have a strong relationship with each other and result in high yields. In urban situations, space is limited, there may be little or no access to land, and various regulatory restrictions exist when it comes to gardening or having backyard animals. Some of the concepts that people have used in urban settings which have allowed them to circumnavigate these obstacles are discussed below. They are a mix of approaches, ranging from gardening to co-parenting, | A permaculture garden is not a garden seen in nature. Though it might have a configuration like a forest in terms of stability and efficiency, it is rich in functional plants which have a strong relationship with each other and result in high yields. In urban situations, space is limited, there may be little or no access to land, and various regulatory restrictions exist when it comes to gardening or having backyard animals. Some of the concepts that people have used in urban settings which have allowed them to circumnavigate these obstacles are discussed below. They are a mix of approaches, ranging from gardening to co-parenting, | ||
- | * Rooftop gardens: Rooftop gardens are a specific urban agriculture niche set within a broader system of city gardens, enjoying their own set of distinctive benefits. Rooftops are underutilized and rarely-considered urban spaces with great potential for creative development. There are essentially [[three options]] for rooftop gardens. | + | |
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- | The second type of roof garden is green roofs in which the rooftop actually becomes the planting medium. This involves more intensive investments(upto two times the cost of a normal roof), but comes with its own set of advantages, including greater storm-water retention, building insulation, and the formation of patchwork urban ecosystems, which work to reverse the fragmentation of ecosystems that follows urbanization by offering temporary habitats to fauna such as birds and butterflies during their long migrations. Green roofs are constructed using a special root and water-proof membrane for the base layer, then a root barrier, a retention/ | + | |
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- | The third rooftop garden possibility is rooftop hydroponics, | + | |
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- | * http:// | + | |
- | * http:// | + | |
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- | Rooftop gardens: | + | |
- | * Cool and shade buildings reducing the 'heat island' | + | |
- | * Retain and utilize rainwater, provide wildlife habitat and enhance the roof membrane life | + | |
- | * Have an aesthetic appeal creating a private haven | + | |
- | * Remove heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, and lead from runoff. | + | |
- | * Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the air quality by trapping and absorbing nitrous oxides, volatile organic compounds and airborne particulate matter | + | |
- | * Overcome the problem of restrictive land prices and with other vertical sufaces of a building infact create more land. | + | |
- | * Are better off with respect to pests, vandalism and theft as compared to community gardens on land. | + | |
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- | Some interesting developments: | + | |
- | * In Switzerland and parts of Germany, this kind of mental shift – resulting in imagining buildings as displacing and not destroying land surface – has become federal law: developers must either improve the biodiversity of existing land, or transfer the green space that they displace to their rooftop or other building surface. | + | |
- | * Rooftop gardens are a billion dollar industry in Germany | + | |
- | * One clause of the Russian law states that authorities are obliged to help gardening associations with roads construction and repair, as well as water drainage and supply. | + | |
- | * Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, both used roof gardens extensively in their architecture | + | |
- | * New York has established a green roof task force, which is exploring direct government support of green roofs, including tax credits and other | + | |
- | incentives. | + | |
- | * The Earth Pledge Foundation in New York strives to address sustainability at the local level – its programs include the Green Roof Initiative, which | + | |
- | encourages initiatives to green New York City’s rooftops, and the Waste=Fuel program, | + | |
- | * Hydroponics is found to be way too complex and expensive in lot of eastern countries and some of african countries too. In these places, roof gardens build out of local materials are most suitable. They are repair and maintained by the communities themselves. This is seen in places like India, St. Petersburg and Senegal. Infact, in Senegal people have devised a local solution using bricks and wooden box beds. In India too, the use of locally available cheap materials to create roof gardens is most successful. The “Doshi System” is offered as the most suitable method. It uses sugarcane stalks, collected from sugarcane juice vendors outside of his house, as biomass. This is lightweight, | + | |
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- | The most significant challenges facing roof top gardens in all its forms are issues of access and roof load capacity. These barriers are especially problematic in liability-obsessed countries like the United States, although concerns for safety and building protection are certainly valid. Lack of | + | |
- | knowledge or incentives, funding, water supply, safety, and the harshness of rooftop environments are also major barriers. Still, rooftop agriculture is slowly becoming more common, particularly in the developing world, where rooftop food production may have a significant impact on food security and income, solutions are creative and site-specific, | + | |
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- | For more details and case studies about rooftop gardens around the world, please click on the link below. This is a senior honors thesis from Cornell University. {{: | + | |
* Vertical gardens: Commonly seen in many western cities, vertical gardens act as good insulators and a source of food. They also increase the life of the structural wall behind. Vines are one of the most common plants used to create vertical green facades. | * Vertical gardens: Commonly seen in many western cities, vertical gardens act as good insulators and a source of food. They also increase the life of the structural wall behind. Vines are one of the most common plants used to create vertical green facades. | ||
- | * City farms: In New york, numerous vacant plots have been converted into city farms where communities grow there own food. These range from apples to pears. Further, by using graftign techniques, fences can be made entirely out of such plants. In Melbourne, the city farms also play the role of community education centres, which is a brilliant way to introduce kids to aspects of food production. In Davis, California, through the allocation of areas for directing rain water into catchment basins, //swail areas// have been created which over the years have now transformed into productive fruit farms. | + | |
- | * Cooperative Arrangements: | + | |
* Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, | * Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, | ||
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* The Citizen Pruner, New York: People can get trained in tree care and pruning, and be able to take care of trees, whenever and whereever needed. | * The Citizen Pruner, New York: People can get trained in tree care and pruning, and be able to take care of trees, whenever and whereever needed. | ||
- | * Chickens in a City: Depending on the location, people may be allowed to keep chickens in their urban yard! The City Chicken - a website, which includes every answer plus city by city listing of regulations for keeping chickens makes this possible! | + | * Chickens in a City: Depending on the location, people may be allowed to keep chickens in their urban yard! The City Chicken - a website, which includes every answer plus city by city listing of regulations for keeping chickens makes this possible! |
+ | |||
+ | === Europe and India _ urban farming === | ||
+ | |||
+ | see [[urban farming comparision]] | ||
=== Orient vs Occident_ traditional farming === | === Orient vs Occident_ traditional farming === | ||
- | see [[tradition | + | see [[traditional |
=== Possibilities for urban permaculture kits === | === Possibilities for urban permaculture kits === | ||
- | Note: The proposals and thoughts given below are diverse and vary from long term complex interventions to short term product solutions. The time range is variable too, from few years to few decades. Some of these proposals could directly feed the {sym} trajectory of GroWorld while others would be more suitable to the {bio} trajectory with GroWorld. | + | An important |
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- | 1. To create **unbound spaces** and explore a new language for urbanism, architecture and spatial semantics. It would challenge existing perceptions and mental constructs. It would create systems for generating such spaces which draw upon the adaptive, diverse, organic, cyclical and holistic sense of ecological existence. These spaces would ' | + | |
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- | A more short term approach could be to develop a series of plug-ins and upgrades which can be easily integrated in current scenarios. The approaches would be inspired from nature but would adapt and morph to have a hybrid language of their own which goes in sync with existing modernist approaches. | + | |
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- | 2. To create **green spider kits** which result in **spatial green micro environments** at an architectural level. Initially a playful framework which can be installed on existing vertical faces of buildings and finally creating a green envelope at a local level. The framework could be made of thin, colorful bamboo rings/loops combined with a tensile wire frame which supports appropriate plantations requiring minimum maintainance. The frames could be modularly attached over and over again. Over time the spatial framework will become invisible and the plantation layer ubiquitous. Such green bubbles would gradually become **spatial green rivers**, a regular feature | + | |
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- | 3. **Green strings**: A natural fibre string (possibly jute) which holds seed balls and can be strung between buildings. With time the seeds germinate and we have suspended plantations. Interesting possibilities could result over time with plants growing at an angle or upside down. The kit could actually pick up on the way prayer beads and flower garlands are assembled in India and would be an interesting add on to the existing trend of seed-balling. | + | |
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- | 4. To have ubiquitous planting we can create a series of green tiles which can be used in a modular manner in the construction and automobile industry. _ **a green brick**_ a brick which breathes and lives like a plant_ you could call it a plant tile too: a properly designed intelligent green organic modular brick which can have a range of plants/ | + | |
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- | The form of the tiles could be inspired from the field of biomimetics and would be strategically adapted to solve pressing problems specific to urban realms: | + | |
- | * Generate fragrance to counter foul smell of urine or rotting garbage which is so common in Delhi (e.g.: using queen of the night) | + | |
- | * Predate on pests and act as repellents for termites (Lantana is a pest repellent) | + | |
- | * Absorb noise and act as acoustic buffers. They could even generate light(bioluminescence) | + | |
- | * Become a source of nutrients, vitamins and herbal medicine ( Leucus aspara cures bronchitis and asthma, Lia Indica cures ulcers | + | |
- | * Become a source of additional revenue (Flowering plants and natural herbs like acaranthus used by dentists) | + | |
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- | {{: | + | |
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- | The message here is, //we will not step back//, we will not cut back on the scale and pace of growth in urban realms but we //can// feed life and fertility into that growth and make it a green growth. | + | |
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- | 5. The next stage of the green tile could be to create an **enhanced, biorenewable moss tile**. This could be self replicating and possibly generate electricity by acting as sun catchers. By behaving as water retainers they could also contribute to regulating the ambient temperature. Existing building skins would gradually be replaced by these tiles. | + | |
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- | 6. To provide safe drinking water through | + | |
- | {{: | + | |
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- | 7. To create biofuel through a modular **biofuel generating kit** which uses community/ | + | |
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- | 8. Creating **green umbrellas** which absorb light to create shadow spots and spew darkness. These would work as shadow generators in places like the desert or extremely hot weather. | + | |
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- | 9. Alternatively creating **green fireflies** | + | |
- | An interesting counter example worth mentioning is the project, | + | |
- | {{: | + | |
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- | 10. Creating | + | |
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- | 11. Creating a **green clock**, which uses the natural rhythms of plants and flowers as a new way of denoting and communicating time. This would be an interesting way to look at the linear progression of time in a different way. Flowers, following their circadian rhythms | + | |
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- | * Common morning glory: 6 am | + | |
- | * Water Lily: 7 am | + | |
- | * Field marigold: 9 am | + | |
- | * Star-of-Bethlehem: | + | |
- | * Passion flower and carnation: noon | + | |
- | * Moon flower: 5 pm | + | |
- | * Evening primrose: 6 pm | + | |
- | * Fig marigold: 7 to 8 pm | + | |
- | * Night blooming cereus: 8 to 9 pm | + | |
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- | These times are accurate to Uppsala, Sweden where Linnaeus grew these plants. | + | |
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- | 12. **Seed Spot Project** | + | |
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- | Bacground: //Rural vs Urban//: During the course of this journey, Sanjeev has begun to question the proposed duality between rural and urban. Instead of partitioning and segmenting one field or one reality from the other, our true strength lies in synthesising both realities. We need to create a new reality. //We need to involve and evolve the city with the country people//. We need to create linkages. We need to have cities which have ' | + | |
- | During his travels to remote rural parts, Sanjeev sometimes wonders if the experience is real? How could both experiences be real and how could he feel a part of two seemingly different spatial, mental constructs? Certain parts of Delhi( e.g. Chandni Chowk) and Bombay(pigeon feeding spots) create a sense of absolute ' | + | |
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- | In his mind there is no difference between the real and the virtual. There is always a constant and complimentary force at play. A city's bedrock are its variables, its idiocyncracies, | + | |
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- | We could start with an attempt to declare spaces within a city as ' | + | |
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- | {{: | + | |
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- | Some questions: What would be the defining feature of such a space? Why does it work in a place like India and not in the West? Can the Indian model be analysed, distilled and reintepreted? | + | |
+ | see [[urban permaculture kits]] | ||
==== Discussion ==== | ==== Discussion ==== | ||
- | * **Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam** | + | see [[site |
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- | Established in 1663, the hortus is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world with more than 6000 plants from all over. What started out as a medicinal herb garden, the hortus grows only pure plant species, as they are found in nature. It is also the first botanic garden in the Netherlands to display the molecular systemics of plants to everyone and continues to organize various cultural, educational and botanical activities through out the year. | + | |
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- | * **Current Status of Organic farming in India** | + | |
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- | Organic farming is gathering momentum all over the globe and is currently practiced in more than 100 countries. Although the term ' | + | |
- | getting popularity in recent times, but it was initiated in 10000 years back when ancient farmers started cultivation depending on natural sources only. There is brief mention of several organic inputs in our ancient literatures like Rigveda, Ramayana, Mahabharata, | + | |
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- | The term " | + | |
- | * To work as much as possible within a closed system, and draw upon local resources. | + | |
- | * To maintain the long-term fertility of soils. | + | |
- | * To avoid all forms of pollution that may result from agricultural techniques. | + | |
- | * To produce foodstuffs of high nutritional quality and sufficient quantity. | + | |
- | * To reduce the use of fossil energy in agricultural practice to a minimum. | + | |
- | * To give livestock conditions of life that confirm to their physiological need. | + | |
- | * To make it possible for agricultural producers to earn a living through their work and develop their potentialities as human being. | + | |
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- | The four pillars of organic farming are: Organic standards, Certification/ | + | |
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- | The Indian Agriculture is traditionally organic and farmers were following organic cultivation till the middle of the last century (1950). The Green | + | |
- | Revolution was ushered in India during sixty and it has been the cornerstone of India' | + | |
- | agriculture in the long run calling attention for sustainable production which will address soil health, human health and environmental health and eco-friendly agriculture. Organic farming appears to be one of the options for sustainability. Starting of organic agriculture in India in 1900 by Sir Albert Howard, a British agronomist in North India, Development of Indore Method of aerobic compost (Howard, 1929), Bangalore method of | + | |
- | anaerobic compost (Archarya, 1934), NADEP Compost (ND Pandari Panda, | + | |
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- | The year 2000 was a very important year for India from organic point of view. The four major happenings during this year were: | + | |
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- | * The Planning Commission constituted (2000) a steering group on agriculture who identified organic farming as National challenge and suggested it should be taken in the form of a project as major thrust area for 10th-plan. The group recommended organic farming in North Eastern Region, rain fed areas and in the areas where the consumption of agro chemicals is low or negligible. | + | |
- | * The National Agricultural Policy(2000) recommended promotion of traditional knowledge of agriculture relating to organic farming and its scientific upgradation. | + | |
- | * The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of Agriculture constituted (2000) a Taskforce on organic farming. | + | |
- | * The Ministry of Commerce launched the National Organic Programme in April 2000 and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is implementing the National Programme for Organic Production(NPOP). | + | |
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- | Vast stretches of India and its farmers continue to be organic by default. Organic fertilizer and natural pest control are the only tools available to most of these farmers, who have always lacked the financial resources to explore chemical solutions. Further, a significant number of them have chosen to farm organically, | + | |
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- | http:// | + | |
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- | Global statistics do not reflect this fact about India! As per the study (2004) of the Foundation Ecology and Agriculture (known as SOEL), | + | |
- | the global organic area is 24 million ha. The major part of this area is located in Australia (about 10 million hectares), Argentina | + | |
- | (almost 3million hectares. Australia /Oceania holds 42% of the world' | + | |
- | than 61,000. In 2004, India' | + | |
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- | The fees for registering a farm as ' | + | |
- | Further, almost all bank loans are for pure crop farmers, that is, monoculturalists. While many of these big-business farmers use harmful chemicals and processes, small farmers fertilizing their soil with recycled organic wastes are usually ineligible for insurance, much less state subsidies. | + | |
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- | * **Case Study Delhi** | + | |
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- | Some pointers related to organic farming in Delhi: | + | |
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- | * As India struggles to deal with stagnation in its crucial agricultural sector, small-scale organic farming initiatives near the capital are providing clues on how to reap healthy profits from the land. | + | |
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- | * Around New Delhi, free-range and organic goods from newcomers to farming are showing that money can be made by growing specialty products that consumers are willing to pay more for. High-value crops which include fruits, vegetables, milk, poultry products and fish are the focus and not cereals. A French Farm in Gurgaon, a suburb of New Delhi known mainly for its call centres, raises thousands of free-range Peking and Muscovy ducks on feed that is free of pesticide and antibiotics. A lot of these products are sold to five star hotels and not the common man on the streets. | + | |
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- | * A more recent start-up, **Heritage Health Food**, delivers boxed organic food grown on 80 acres of leased land. The two-year-old firm makes 200 to 300 deliveries a week, priced at between 200 and 400 rupees (five to 10 dollars) depending on weight, and is still to become common with the middle class household. | + | |
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- | * " | + | |
- | "Many people are still going in for traditional farming, which is mostly organic. Four million hectares (9.8 million acres) of land are now devoted to certified organic farming for export, including of mangoes, spices and nuts." | + | |
- | The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has developed standards for organic exports, and mandatory domestic standards are in the works. This will make it easier and cheaper for farmers to get the kind of accreditation that is recognised abroad. | + | |
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- | * In New Delhi, the **Navdanya** outlets started by environmentalist Vandana Shiva source organic oils and lentils from small farmers. Through their direct market initiative, they also bring different varieties of rice, wheat, flour, dals, rajma, spices, edible oils, breakfast cereals, natural sweeteners, millets, cookies, jams, pickles, squashes, culinary herbs etc. Recently they have partnered with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) to avail an existing network of HPCL centres which double up as organic outlets. | + | |
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- | * One of the country' | + | |
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- | * Elsewhere in India, more than 5,000 farmers in 250 villages of Surat in Gujarat have switched over to organic farming, according to agro-expert Chandrakanth Mandavia of the Abhyuthan Gram Vikas Mandal, a Surat-based organisation. The most common crops are mushrooms and mangoes. | + | |
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- | In Delhi, apart from the ridge forest which is the capital' | + | |
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- | Home gardens are commonly seen in New Delhi with the role of the local ' | + | |
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- | ==Extract from Peri-urban agriculture in India by D S Bhupal, Dr. Fiona Marshall, Dolf te Lintelo== | + | |
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- | * The rural-peri-urban-urban continuum itself is dynamic in nature and the changes are more marked around cities that are rapidly urbanizing or growing both economically and spatially. | + | |
- | * Rural agriculture remains the focus in India. | + | |
- | * A neglect of this issue by the international and national research communities. Indeed, in India, government policies, scientific research communities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have shown little recognition of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA). | + | |
- | * Urban food security is becoming a matter of increasing concern and urban poverty is reflected in the nutritional status of people. | + | |
- | * The main urban agricultural area in the core area of the city of Delhi is the floodplain along the Yamuna River. The area beyond the urban conglomeration of " | + | |
- | * Urbanization and industrialization affect agriculture in the peri-urban areas, as population pressure from the city results in changes in land use - from agricultural to urban land use, be it for housing, commercial, industrial or other purposes. Where the land use remains agricultural, | + | |
- | * The role of agriculture as a livelihood strategy for the poor in peri-urban areas: access to land and water is the prime condition for urban peri agriculture | + | |
- | * Wheat, rice and great and spiked millet are cultivated on most of the agricultural land. Vegetable cultivation is also popular. | + | |
- | * The number of days of involvement in agriculture as reported by labourers surveyed ranged from 100 to 270 days per year. On average, agricultural labourers were involved for 48 days in zaid/summer (May-June), 55 days in kharif/wet (July-October) and 52 days in rabi/winter season (October-April). | + | |
- | * Agriculture has an important function in providing employment for poor people in the fringe areas of Delhi. The agricultural activities have a fairly rural character, with dominant roles for cereal (such as wheat, millet and paddy) and fodder crops. Typical cropping systems are millet-wheat; | + | |
- | * The trend in cropping patterns around Delhi is for traditional multicropping systems of local cereal crops, pulses and oilseeds being replaced by high-input high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice after the green revolution. One striking feature of the agricultural systems is that farmers are producing a large amount of green fodder crops such as berseem. These crops demand relatively little attention, allowing farmers to focus their efforts on cultivating other produce. Generally, fodder is grown for cattle feed, and a significant share is used for buffaloes and cows in dairy production. | + | |
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- | //Assessing constraints to production:// | + | |
- | In view of the general lack of awareness about the significance of UPA, creating effective linkages with research and policy communities is of prime importance. Firstly, this requires the identification of key stakeholders from government, private sector and non-governmental organizations. Secondly, in-depth analysis of the existing legal-administrative, | + | |
- | The policy environment in general is marked by a common dichotomy between urban and rural development administration and policies, leaving little scope for acknowledgement of the specific characteristics and needs of agriculture in the urban and peri-urban areas. Agricultural policies are primarily designed for rural areas, and are therefore not always compatible with the needs of UPA farmers. To bridge this gap, opportunities for linking up with activities and programmes need to be identified. | + | |
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- | ==Chandni Chowk, Delhi== | + | |
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- | Also known as the ' | + | |
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- | ==TERI (Tata Energy Research Institute, Forestry department), | + | |
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- | * http:// | + | |
- | * http:// | + | |
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- | Community outreach program of HHG(home herbal gardens) in Delhi using the following plants: | + | |
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- | _ Holy basil (English), Rama tulsi (Hindi). The plant is used in the treatment of cough, cold, bronchitis, diarrhea and dysentery. | + | |
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- | _ Stevia (English). The processed leaves yield a natural sweetener which is a substitute for table sugar, safe for diabetics, as it does not affect | + | |
- | blood sugar levels. | + | |
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- | _ King of biters (English), Kalmegh (Hindi). The plant is used for treating dysentery, cholera, diabetes, influenza, bronchitis, piles, gonorrhoea, and snake venom poisoning. | + | |
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- | _ Asparagus (English), Shatavari (Hindi). The plant part is used for treating nervous disorders, tumours, scalding of urine, throat infections, tuberculosis and bronchitis. | + | |
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- | _ Tinospora Gulancha (English), Giloy (Hindi). The plant is used in the treatment of fever, jaundice, thirst, loss of appetite, urinary diseases, and skin ailments. | + | |
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- | _ Aloe (English), Gwar Patha (Hindi). The plant part is used to heal wounds, ulcers, and burns. It is also used to treat liver and spleen ailments. | + | |
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- | _ Winter Cherry (English), Ashwagandha (Hindi). The plant part is used in Ayurvedic medicines to treat ulcers, fever, cough, rheumatism, leucoderma and to restore memory loss. | + | |
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- | _ Lemon grass (English), Gandhatrina (Hindi). The herb is a stimulant (increases physical or nervous activity), diaphoretic (increases perspiration), | + | |
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- | _ Mint (English), Pudina (Hindi). The infusion of leaves is used in the treatment of rheumatism. Oil from the plant; know as Japanese Mint Oil is used to cure fever. | + | |
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- | _ Vasaka (English), Adusa (Hindi). Used for treating bronchitis, asthma, and dental ailments. | + | |
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- | This outreach program in urban realms would also lend to revitalising traditional Indian medicinal plant knowledge and create independent seed banks. | + | |
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- | * **Case Study South India** | + | |
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- | ==Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary== | + | |
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- | Spread over 55 acres, the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary is a garden of wild plant species grown at the edge of a large rainforest reserve in the Western Ghat Mountains of Kerala, India. It is dedicated to conservation and education. Founded in 1981, the Sanctuary restores endangered species and habitats in a highly fragmented landscape, where only a fraction of original forest remains and much of the native flora has been tragically and sometimes deliberately extracted or “cleaned up” for human use. While witnessing the exuberant growth of anthuriums and begonias around us, we discuss the impact of the growing popularity of ayurveda and organic teas on the forests and how their price does not reflect the real price we all are paying in the long run. I am told the amount of bio mass which goes into their production is shockingly high. Of course there are issues of the rise and fall of tea and coffee prices and how economics and ecology have become interlinked. We move on and see the epiphytic orchids in the orchidarium conserved in the most impressive manner. I am told that out of 300000 known plants about 30000 are orchids. The sanctuary itself is a repository of over 2000 plant species which is about one-third of the entire regions flora. These have been rescued from degraded and destroyed environments. While we are told about a pit viper which is often seen coiled up among the plants, another viper quietly waits next to the pond, attracted by the numerous frogs that breed there. Conservation in this district of Wayanad, where the original settlers were small migrant farmers with immediate survival needs, is an exceptionally challenging job. Fighting for the last bits of rain forests is not a choice, but a crucial need and responsibility here. The care and patience with which these plants have been brought back to life, I feel there is no other way to protect them. Such single minded focus is what makes this place special. | + | |
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- | The Sanctuary is run by a small group of resident gardeners, naturalists and educators, and supported by a wide circle of well-wishers. Together it offers an approach that is connected to the climate, landscape, ecosystems, plants, animals and people of the region. In Suprabha’s own words, “The focus here is to find creative, localized and effective ways to restore natural places. Termed as ecosystem gardening, this involves working closely with plants and their environments: | + | |
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- | The sanctuary brings back memories of remote tribes in north east India and the way they allow their work and rituals to become a seamless extension of their life. However, here, the difference lies in a strong sense of independence and pride in the work. Everyone can speak in English and that is a great equaliser. I see joy, love, and complete immersion in everyone’s eyes. | + | |
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- | The results in Gurukula are due to a clear understanding and acceptance of the complexity of the problem and of the diversity of techniques required, including detailed long-term observation, | + | |
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- | ==Rainforest Retreat== | + | |
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- | The Rainforest Retreat is an eco-lodge located on an Organic Spice Plantation (MOJO Plantation) nestled in the heart of the Western Ghats (in Kodagu district of southern Karnataka). Founded by Dr. Sujata, a botanist and Anurag Goel, a molecular biologist turned organic farmer, their business model is based on sharing the nuances of organic farming with the visitors apart from selling locally grown cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, pepper and coffee. Their methods are based on the following prnciples aimed at working toward generating a sustainable agri-ecosystem in the fragile environment: | + | |
- | * Maintaining the forest canopy to conserve the top soil and replenish it with compost. | + | |
- | * Recycling all forms of materials generated on the farm | + | |
- | * Creating conditions favoring the survival of other components of the farm-field(agri-) ecosystem, like the predatory and microbial populations of the soil. | + | |
- | * Emphasizing on multiple-cropping systems | + | |
- | * Identifying and usng non-toxic(plant) sustitutes for chemically synthesized fertilizers and pesticides only under conditions of extreme necessity. | + | |
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- | ==Beaulah Farm== | + | |
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- | Tucked away in a picturesque pocket of the Nilgiris in South India, Beulah Farm provides the chance visitor a rare personal treat in the state of Tamil Nadu. The place which was founded by Eapen Jacob, does not fall within the usual tourist circuit. One may stumble upon it in the course of meandering walks one usually takes in the hills. Around the cottage, what looks like a wild tangle of a garden, each shrub, plant and bush makes up the herb garden which has been lovingly nurtured and tended to by Eapen, who plays music to his plants every day! From the three different kinds of basil and four different kinds of mint, the rosemary, thyme, sage and parsley. Passion fruits, Malta oranges, lemons make the fruit orchard, along with the strawberry patch. All of these go into making wines, liqueurs, tart marmalades, rhubarb jam and preserves made in a unique way in Sandalwood barrels on the farm. 23 different varieties of Rose wine (including a green and a black rose), guava squash, mint liqueur and a horse radish wine are some of his most popular products, all made in an organic way perfected over the last 25 years. In Jacob' | + | |
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- | ==Krac-Á-Dawna Organic Farm== | + | |
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- | Founded by Juli and Vivek Cariappa, KRAC-A-DAWNA is an evolving farm nestled deep within rural Karnataka. It is an important member of the OFAI(Organic Farmers association of India) and has for long searched for practical solutions to daily problems. From home-schooling to manure-teas and bio-gas there are no fixed rules here. Ths is an interesting example in self-learning and re-learning about believing in one's instincts and defying a modern developmental process that relies too heavily on mass production and a rigid definition | + | |
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- | ==International Plants Expo, Dubai== | + | |
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- | Held from March 04-06, 2008 IPM DUBAI ia a focussed trade exhibition | + | |
- | http:// | + | |
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- | One of the products, //nature pot// by NAPAC, a Zurich based company specialising in the development and manufacturing of products made of raw materials from renewable resources: is suitable for outdoor and indoor plant cultivation. A smart kit which comes with seeds and organic fertiliser, it rates highly on bio-innovation. | + | |
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- | == Project Deep Fields == | + | |
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- | An interesting proposal in the 'Green Cities and Open Ideas' category by Krishna Balakrishna from UC Berkeley and Ganesh Mohan, IIT Chennai. The study proposes to create a **Deep Fields Organic Farmers Co-operative** which connects the problem of improper garbage disposal in Indian cities to providing an impetus for organic farming in urban edges. The project stems from a desire to initiate a program that is financially viable, ecologically sustainable, | + | |
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- | In brief the proposal consists of the following steps: | + | |
- | 1. Utilize urban organic waste for generating compost. | + | |
- | 2. Promote organic farming of fruits and vegetables using this compost, in villages near urban centers | + | |
- | 3. Set up a viable model of distributing the produce to small scale retail units in the cities. | + | |
- | 4. Set up a points system by which the citizens who contribute organic waste get discounts on their shopping at these small scale retail units. | + | |
- | 5. Urban waste that is generated enters the above described cycle once again. | + | |
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- | The complete report can be seen here: | + | |
- | {{: | + | |
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- | ==" | + | |
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- | http:// | + | |
- | http:// | + | |
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- | " | + | |
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- | The project started with Comprehensive Data-Gathering and Benchmarking and invents a great deal of new methodology. The empirical study of built form and settlement structure enabled the group to create new quantitative models, including a " | + | |
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- | This extensive exercise in quantitative analysis and modeling was the foundation for a reimagining of the city of Panjim, following the newly framed principles of " | + | |
- | RUrbanism involves transforming the city into a symbiotic partner with both nature and rural culture and a net producer of resources | + | |
* // | * // | ||
Line 516: | Line 172: | ||
* //comments on the response of the public (if applicable)// | * //comments on the response of the public (if applicable)// | ||
- | ==== References ==== | + | ====References==== |
+ | |||
+ | The claims and insights in this research have been informed by the [[delhi interviews|interviews]], | ||
* // | * // | ||
- | URLS (these should be included as footnotes for the relevant sections) | + | Books: |
+ | * An Agricultural Testament by Sir Albert Howard | ||
+ | * Permaculture: | ||
+ | |||
+ | URLs | ||
* http:// | * http:// | ||
* http:// | * http:// |