20 May,2010 07:31 AM IST | | Soma Das
Cine Liberte and Anarkali will screen a documentary on organic farming. The Guide finds out how the organisers plan to throw light on the prevention of farmer suicides in the country
A spice farmer from Kerala, a rice farmer from Orissa, a wheat farmer from Dehradun and a dal farmer from Jaisalmer, all find their way into The Organic Way: a 50-minute documentary by Sunil Shanbag.
Produced by Chrysalis Films and organic store Navdanya, the film profiles farmers who turned to alternative green farming as it became their only way to survive and sustain soil fertility.
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"They observed how fertilizers ruined the soil, which led to higher costs and pushed them into debt," says Shanbag.
No amount of reading on the subject prepared Shanbag for the actual hardships faced by the farmers.
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"We were shooting in 45 degree heat in Jaisalmer, which the farmers seemed unfazed by as they continued ploughing," says Shanbag.
"I am amazed by their commitment, in spite of the vagaries of nature, the lack of recognition and extreme poverty they have to face.
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It seems a perverse way to live, but thank God for their passion," says Shanbag.
Over the course of one year, Shanbag spent time with each of the four farmers trying to understand why they decided to opt for organic farming, including the benefits they derived as a direct result of it.
"Though, organic farming is perceived to be elitist (as it is more expensive), it actually benefits the small farmer the most."
The 2008 documentary has been screened in Delhi, Kerala, Gujarat, Orissa and Brazil.
The screening will be followed by a discussion with Mahesh Khandu Bankar, founder of GreeNer Planet Solution, a company that trains farmers in natural farming methods involving organic and biodynamic farming.
Post an MBA degree from Sydenham College, 24 year-old Bankar turned down lucrative job offers to pursue the agri-business, a field he grew interested in while working on a project.
"We work with 11,000 farmers from all over India to bridge the gap between the small farmer and the consumer," he says.
While organic farming relies on compost, biodynamic farming relies on harnessing multiple natural forces in a scientific way to boost quality of food and maintain soil fertility.
Bankar will speak on genetically modified (GM) foods and their impact. "I will explain how organic farming ensures the largest sum of money goes to the small farmer.
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I will also discuss how organic food keeps people healthy and farmers smiling. It will hopefully convince people to stay off pesticide-infested food," he says.
End the evening on a sweet note by savouring organic mangoes which, if nothing else, might help seal the deal in favour of organic farming.
Killing Fields
With over 1,50,000 farmers across the country committing suicide between the years of 2001 and 2007, the issue of farmer suicides is a growing concern.
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News of suicides of debt-ridden farmers in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region continue to make headlines every few days.
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Major reasons include the rise in the cost of chemical fertilizers, dependence on commercial varieties of seeds and decline in soil fertility.
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These factors push farmers into debt as they fail to get the expected yield over time.
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Suicide then, regrettably, appears the only way to break the vicious cycle of debt.u00a0The making of Sunil Shanbag's documentary The Organic Way.
ON: May 20, 6.30 pm onwards
At: Alliance Francaise Auditorium, Theosophy Hall, 40, New Marine Lines, Churchgate.
Call: 22035993
