Geust speeker

ADVOCACY

S.R. Hiremath

Mr.S.R. Hiremath is a founder of IDS (India Development Service). He has completed his bachelor degree in Hindi called Visharada from Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Dharwad. He got second rank in Visharada and went to United States for higher studies and continued his job career and stayed up to 10 years. He got inspired from books articles, such as freedom at midnight, lord mount batten, sarvagna’s triplates and Schumaker’s.

            He started an organization called “India Development Service”. It is a non-profit organization working for social and economic development of India. These sectors organization covers – preventive health and health education, environmental awareness, joint forest planning, management wasteland development and sustainable agriculture etc.

Advocacy:

In Indian system Government has not provided any kind of proper approach for problems. For finding solution if social entrepreneurs are working in society they should have their own organized mechanisms for it. While working calculated risk should be managed by leaders.

“Be a change don’t think change outside”(1)

The tool for change is advocacy, the method is ‘identifying problem which is related to particular community’ and make it as centric issue, aware that community. With the support of that community advocacy procedures should move further. While working with community Media involvement is necessary to reach the decided advocacy goal.

Gandhian and Einstein theories have introduced in advocacy. The Satyagraha tool is helpful to reach advocacy goal and it solves people problem.

Advocacy is a tool for social entrepreneurs for approaching social problem and peace fully using this tool is more effective and remarkable.

 

Advocasy

Guest Speaker 

Mr. Abhaya

On Saturday, 11^th  April 2009.

Introduction

            Mr.Abhaya born and brought up in Hyderabad, He studied Engineering in electronics. He worked for MNC in Bangalore for 5 years and left the job by inspiring   himself to overcome social issues. So he went to Raichur and settled to work especialy on   Devadasi System.

Devadasi System

He made people to aware themselves and people got inspired, formed “Nava Jeevana Mahila Okkuta “(NJMO).  This is non -registered people’s organization, mainly they are working for Dalits and women in villages. Till now they have covered 100 villages around the Raichur district.

Advocacy

   It means identifying the social problem and making government and people to aware and solves it.

Ø  Advocacy should be done by people who affected by the  issue

Ø  Understanding the issue theoretical and practical aspects both in local contents and in other parts of country and the world.

Ø  Believe in the issue as belief in the strategy is important.

Ø  Grass root level work on the issue, both activism and constructive involvement.

Ø  To work along with the media and not use the media.

Ø  Data collection and presentation should be human, not just statistics.

Ø  To always have the goals broke down in to short term, medium term and long term demands.

Ø  Understanding of the government administrative machinery and way of working is very important.

Ø  Should have well wishes in all fields.

Ø  Proper use of all forums available sensitive days of year and reacting to important events is very essential.

Ø  Regular follow-ups is a very important.

 

Ø  Attack the issue simultaneously from many fronts, also one is some required to take two steps back and then move ahead.

 

Ø  Always fight for issue not people responsible. (Reference: Abhaya).

 

Advocacy is a process to reach a goal, he done advocacy in village with support by people, for example village does not have road, by involving people approaching the government and another example is open deficacy is a common problem in villages for women, so by involving people they approached the government and constructed the toilets.

 

The local people and media are supporting them for every cause always. The most of stake holders always fight the issue not the people responsible, leave the issue and attacking people is bad strategy to advocacy. He never attack the people, he always fought for issue. 

Agriculture

Write Up on Agriculture

Introduction:

Agriculture is an important component of the developing economy. It’s the basic occupation for Indian people. Farming is nothing but cultivating the land and growing food grains and commercial crops. In Indian scenario Agriculture is major livelihood opportunity for the rural population.

Description of Module:

            Mr Shrikanth and Dr. M B Pattansheti from AME foundation taught the agriculture module. The following topics were covered in the module Agriculture scenario, history of Agriculture, India’s exports and development farming. To get a clear picture of agriculture, instructors showed us some videos and also conducted a debate. Through debate I had a better understanding of rural economy and Industrial economy.

Agriculture scenario in India:

 In India total Agricultural geographical area is 328 million hectare. Total area for cultivation is 140 and irrigated area is 30 million hectare. Population dependent on agriculture are 1100 million. India is 2nd largest country in the world to produce Rice and Wheat and also India is largest milk producing country. In exporting rice India takes first position but cereals is least exported product.

After Green revolution in agriculture (1960) and Milk revolution in 1980 India’s farming system is developing. And technologies are developing such as mechanization, macro and micro irrigation, chemical inputs like pesticides, fertilizers, hybrid seeds and green house cultivation.  Agriculture production happens throughout the year irrespective of seasons.

Through videos we understood the impact of pesticides, how to use them and when

The Rural Scenario:  Rural population is facing lots of problem like food and nutritional security, poverty, illiteracy, health and sanitation. Now day’s rural communities are migrating to urban places because farmers are losing their soil fertility and also increase in the cost of production. This situation leads to low net income to farmers. To change the perception of the farmers, they need support from developmental professionals. LEISA is one of developmental tool for agriculture. LEISA means Low External Input for Sustainable Agriculture. Sustainable agriculture means proper utilization, conservation and managing the local natural resources for current and future generation. LEISA means step towards organic farming focusing on small and marginal farmers and dry land regions. LIESA aims at improving and stabilizing productivity of the farming system. The major problems in dry farming are moisture tress during critical crop growth stages, poor fertility of soil and mono cropping practices. LEISA project is implemented through FFS and natural resources management to promote dry land farming. FFS means Farmers Field School. It’s an informal education here farmers participation is most important they learn through practically experiencing things. The objective of the FFS is to develop the farmer’s skill.

Integrated farming system and livestock:

Regeneration and proper utilization of local resources with Integrated management. Integrated management means crop management nutrient management, pesticide management, livestock management, natural resource management and Income generation activities.

In our field visit we went to Kurdikeri we met the FFS and discussed about agriculture.

Challenges for agriculture:

Agriculture has lot of challenges to face like depends on Monsoon, market prices, health hazards by chemical pesticide, etc.

Key points:

Ø  Sustainable agriculture

Ø  Livelihood opportunities

Learnings:

Ø  Importance of agricultural sector.

Ø  This module helped us to understand the present situation of farmers

Ø  Sustainable agriculture module is very essential to improve the agriculture  in India

Ø  Agriculture provides livelihood opportunities to the villagers.

 

 

References/ source

By instructors Mr.Shrikanth and Dr. M B Pattanshetti  from AME Foundation