Future MattersThe Newsletter of Future Earth Asia Network | December 2015 | Future - 2 Earth - 1

Future Earth Asia network held its annual regional assembly meeting from 21st to 27th of October 2015 at Gami Seva Sevana’s office in Galaha, close to Kandy. The meeting started with a country analysis in the context of the current socio, economic and political situations in Sri Lanka and the work carried out by Gami Seva Sevana in Galaha. The network partners from Tamil Nadu, Ladakh and Mumbai participated and presented on the current year project and also the shared the next year projects of

common and friend group projects. We visited some villages where they are doing organic agriculture in home gardens, mainly for self-reliance. The Regional Assembly also did a program planning and goal setting exercise for the next 5 year programme from 2017 to 2021 and that process will continue in 2016 when we met again in Delhi in March 2016. We have visited one hydro power plant to gain understanding on the negative impact from large power generation projects. During the Regional

Assembly, new members were elected for Regional Co-ordination Group as well as International Council with equal representation of Gender with the right mixture of young and experienced. The participants were enjoyed the home made, local, traditional Sri Lankan food recipes with the combination of tasty fish curries and coconut amidst of the persistent rainy days. To round off the meeting local school children performed a traditional dance programme for us.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DESTROY YOUR NATURE

TRADITIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL AT CIRHEP TRAINING CENTRE

WHAT’SINSIDE

E C O L O G Y | S E L F R E L I A N C E | C O O P E R A T I O NEmpowering communities for food sovereignty and sustainable ecosystems

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY IN SRI LANKA

SRUSHTIDNYAN, MUMBAI

YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2001

Srushtidnyan was established by a group of young and enthusiast environmentalists and social workers in Mumbai, India on June 15, 2001. Srushtidnyan aims at addressing environmental degradation and its impact on ecosystem and human beings through conservation education and awareness. The deteriorating environmental conditions in urban, rural and tribal areas of India is a serious concern to us. The global warming & climate change is threatening the entire life on the earth. Depletion and pollution of freshwater resources, soil erosion, air pollution, unsustainable agricultural practices, forest degradation, wildlife poaching, habitat destruction and denied equity over the sharing resources are

some of the major environmental issues that need immediate interventions. This reality forms the basis of Srushtidnyan’s existence. It has been making efforts to address these issues to various sections of society i.e. children, youth, women, educators, government agencies and other local, national and international organizations. Srushtidnyan believes in taking up collective responsibility and tries to receive a proactive and participatory responses from the people and people’s institutions towards the environmental issues.Environment education plays a vital role in building awareness about the environmental issues. Srushtidnyan organises small activities like the slide talks, poster exhibitions, nature walks, environmental games, training workshops,

field visits and environmental camps that help in provoking desired emotions and appeal to the conscience of a common man. The efforts were further complimented with organising seminars and conferences to bring the environmental issues at the larger platforms. Srushtidnyan invites the ministers, experts, researchers and academicians to advocacy for policy level interventions on environmental issues.

PROJECTS : • Green School• Green Teachers Training Programme• Climate Ambassadors Mumbai -

Stockholm• Species Protection & Habitat

Conservation

ADDRESS: Srushtidnyan, Veer Darshan Bulding, Ground Floor, Room No. 8, G. D. Ambekar Road, Bhoiwada, Parel, Mumbai - 400012 India.Email: srushtidnyan@gmail.com Website: www.srushtidnyan.orgTelephone: +91 9594271511/ +91 9969077074/ +91 9819037979/ +91 9930401329

ORGANISATION PROFILES:

WOMEN’S ALLIANCE OF LADAKH

The Women Alliance of Ladakh was established in 1991 to raise awareness about the benefits of living in a community and to foster respect for the values on which our culture is based. A large part of our work is educational, bringing farming women together to discuss and share information about development in Ladakh. We build upon our traditional position in the society, working to ensure that our voice continues to be heard in decision-making. We also seek to foster a community, where people take pride in and build upon local knowledge accumulated over countless generations.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:•Tomaintain respect for the ethicaland spiritual values on which our culture is based.• To promote development inharmony with benefiting the entire community without harming nature

or future generations.•ToencouragerespectforLadakhicultureincluding Ladakhi food, language, songs and dance.• To highlight the importance ofagriculture for the Ladakhi economy and to counter the motion that farming is an inferior occupation.

Women’s Alliance also aims to protect indigenous knowledge, and spreads awareness about the dangers cash cropping, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and hybrid seeds.

The Women Alliance Handicraft shop opened on 14th June 2001 to provide a venue for the sale of indigenous products of Ladakh that are made by local people using local materials and using traditional skills, like Theri products. This promotes and preserves local handicrafts and traditional food.

YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1988

SECMOL is focused on creating a future of Ladakh ‘by choice and not by chance’.

SECMOL was established in 1988 by a group of young university going students. After the introduction of modern schooling systems, education seemed to

SECMOL - STUDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL MOVEMENT OF LADAKH

be in a poor unorganised state in Ladakh. So, it felt necessary to give a direction to the education and educated of Ladakh. The organization also aims to work for the restoration, preservation and promotion of rich cultural heritage of Ladakh.

SECMOL CAMPUS, an alternative school: SECMOL has a green organic, passive

LEHO came in to existence on the 1st July 1991. The founders felt that an organization was needed to work on the issues of sustainable development, ecology and Health. This action was in response to the changes in agriculture farming, food habits, social values and culture of t different Ladakhi societies. The concept of sustainable development would base on the holistic approach for utilization of natural resources such as land, water, vegetation and livestock of the villages integrating with the age old tradition and cultures.

Ladakh Environment and Health Organisation (LEHO)

VISION:To work towards promoting sustainable societies at the village and town level through self sustaining development modules based on the local renewable natural resources.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES:• To sustain and improve the ecological farming system in Ladakh which is the back bone of the economy• To raise awareness about healthissues mainly related to environmental cleanliness, nutrition, preventive measures

against drugs, smoking, alcoholism, population etc.• To actively promote afforestation,biodiversity and ecological restoration.•Tofacilitateexchangeofexperiencesand information among different communities and group.•Topracticeandimproveenvironmentally friendly, time tested indigenous knowledge and technologies.•Toencourageandpreservethediversityof culture and tradition and language.•Toencourageandtogiveequalgenderjustice.•ToachieveselfsustainabilityofLEHO.

ADDRESS:Ladakh Environment And Health Organization-LEHOG H Road, Skara Juk, Leh, Ladakh, 194101J&K, IndiaTelephone: +91 1982 252944Mobile: +91 9419180650E-mail: dindarokhan@yahoo.com

solar designed campus, 20 km away from the town of Leh. The campus serves as a learning space for students and visitors in exchanging ideas and knowledge for attaining a sustainable future on local and global level. It is an experiential learning space for youths and students who have missed out on their formal schooling system bringing out many innovative and pioneering leaders. Being a campus that is fully passive solarised and organic, it’s a place for short and long courses in earth architecture, youth camps and related to sustainability of resources and energy courses.

FOUNDER-DIRECTOR: Mr. Sonam Wangchuk

CAMPUS MANAGING HEAD: Rebecca Norman

ADDRESS:SECMOL P.O.Box-4, Leh Ladakh, 194101J&K, INDIAPhone: 01982-252421, 01982-226120Email: info@secmol.org, secmoloffice@gmail.comWebsite: www.secmol.org

ORGANISATION PROFILE (CONTD.) : LADAKH AMCHI SABHA

YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1969

OUR VISION:Health for all through the traditional Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine in Ladakh and preservation of a traditional eco-friendly lifestyle.

MISSION: Achieving effective and affordable health solutions in remote and urban areas through traditional medicine and revalidating Sowa-Rigpa medicine on scientific lines. Preservation of traditional ecosystem through promotion of traditional astrology and astronomy.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:• Achieved recognition of Sowa-Rigpa

system of medicine in India by amendment to the Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970 in 2010.

• Induction of Sowa-Rigpa Doctors in National Rural Health Mission in Ladakh for public health.

PRESIDENT: Dr. Padma Gurmet ADDRESS: Ladakh Amchi Sabha, Sorig Kunfanling, Near Main Post Office Leh-Ladakh 194101

PROGRAM ON HIV AIDS

A program on HIV AIDS was held on the 3rd of December 2015 at the Badrawathi Maha Vidiyalaya . This was a program to create an awareness on the spread of AIDS in society. Around 200 Children and 20 staff of higher grades participated. The resource person was Mr. S.P Liyannarachi of the Social Health Department of the Peradeniya University . A lecture was also delivered on the threats posed to society by the use of drugs.

The Regional Assembly meeting was held at Gami Seva Sevana in 21st to 28th October. We as volunteers from Future Earth had the opportunity to participate in the meeting. The ten days were filled with discussions and inspiration for the coming programme year. During the meeting each organisation also presented their outcomes from 2014, this was a good opportunity to learn from each other. We also had time for an excursion; the sites were very interesting and gave the participants a better understanding of the region. This was also a pleasant brake from the intense meeting.

After the meeting our internship at GSS started and during our time at GSS we have seen the hard work behind organic farming and being self-sufficient. At the farm we have seen many varieties of plants, trees and herbs. To keep the variety of plants it is important for the farmers to preserve indigenous seed; many of the farmers work with seed preservation. During the introduction of internship we also met some of the farmers that are organized in one of GSS farmers groups.

GSS highlights the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge and pass it on to the next generation. One question that is being raised within the organisation is; who are going to be the next generation of organic farmers? To find out the answer GSS is doing mapping of farmers where they try to find the potential second line leaders. It is important to spot the future farmers to educate them on sustainable farming to have sustainability for a longer period of time.

In Sri Lanka, most small-scale farming is done by women. This shows the importance in empower the women in order for them to support them self economically and to keep the farming sustainable.

The majority of the farmers in the farmer groups are women and GSS work together with the women to support them in their work.

Emelie ThörnroosLouise Häggquist

18/11-2015Gamsi seva sevana

HOME GARDENING IN SRI LANKA

25th to 27th November 2015

Srushtidnyan in collaboration with Climate Action, an environmental organization from Stockholm, Sweden has taken up a project named Climate Ambassadors Mumbai – Stockholm (A Climate Education and Action Project with Young People) since list two years. The project goal is to raise awareness among students and in society about the phenomenon of climate change and its impact on environment and society;

MARLESHWAR BIODIVERSITY CAMP

to build capacities among students, teachers and schools to respond to the consequences of the climate change through local specific actions. Preject is covering 7 urban schools in Mumbai & 3 schools & 1 college from rural area between Kundi to Maral which is more vulnerable to the climate change. The project area is located at Ratnagiri district, Sangameshwar taluka that is at the foothills of Western Ghats of Maharashtra State. This year one Swedish school Skarpatorpsskolan, Stockholm have an interaction and exchange programme with D.S. High School in Mumbai as well as one college, Karrtorp Gymnaseum, Stockholm have an interaction and exchange programme with ASP College, Devrukh.

Under this project we have conducted Marleshwar Biodiversity Camp between 25th to 27th November 2015. The main

aim of the camp was to establish the importance of bio-diversity conservation and protection at village forests as one of the Regional Bio-diversity Hotspots of the Western Ghats of India. Students from Mumbai schools, rural schools & college studied the endangered and endemic plant species which are vulnerable and resilient to the climate change. Students learn about sacred groves, deforestation and human wildlife conflicts in this area. Students interact with rice cultivating farmers, fruit cultivating farmers, plants’ nursery running farmers regarding the challenges they are facing. Students also visit Agro-tourism Farm and Goat Farm as supportive business to the agriculture. Students could see variety of insects & birds during the camp. Dr. Pratap Naikwade, Mr. Sanjeev Anerao, Mr. Prashant Shinde, Mr. Kunal Anerao, Ms. Jyoti Khopkar & Ms. Sangeeta Kharat worked hard to make this camp successful.

On receipt of Invitation from Swallows, Lund & Framtidsjorden, Stockholm in Sweden, Mrs. Karin Nansen, representing Future Earth, South America and Mr. Tobias Peterson representing Future Earth Sweden and Mr. Suresh Kanna, representing Future Earth Asia participated in the Glocal Development Talks from 20th - 23rd September, 2015. Mr. Pratim Roy and Mr. Mathew of Keystone Foundation were also participated in Global Development Talks as representatives of Swallows partners in India. This four day forum was organized by The Swallows India - Bangladesh against the backdrop of the newly elected Swedish Government, expiring Millennium Development Goals, and discussing new Sustainable Development

Goals within the overall theme of power structures, sustainability and solidarity. It was a very good opportunity in which Parliamentarians, Authorities and Policy makers in Sweden were given the chance to engage with civil society, NGOs, and academia to investigate the linkages between the thematic key words when applied and implemented as processes. The focus on South Asia provided a contradictory context of middle income countries and increased privatization on one side, and increase inequalities, growing fundamentalism and violence against women on the other. From this point of departure, the forum stimulated debate around issues such as: (i) how do Sweden support and related to BRICS countries and the upcoming New 11

goals with the background of growing inequalities? (ii) how will Sweden’s new and unique feminist foreign policy influence the development agenda? (iii) how will an increase coherence across all policy areas of the Swedish Government strengthen the cooperation with i.e. South Asia, and benefit civil society? (iv) how are the discussions around sustainable development and climate justice in relation to South Asia, and what are the arguments in the strategy for COP21 by Sweden?

The representatives of Future Earth Asia and South America and The Swallows partners in India and Bangladesh came with knowledge concerned with specific issues relating to the overall theme and participated in the panel debates on Food Sovereignty, Land Rights & Gender Justice, speakers on topics like Climate Justice and Sustainability and also engaged in other interactive methods as respondent to other speakers on topics like Feminist Foreign Policy and Development Co-operation and gave their perspective on Swedish development cooperation and with the hope of strengthening the collective learning and create pathways to transferring learning processes, giving concrete examples of how support from Swedish CSOs can make a difference for local partners who themselves have many solutions to poverty and social exclusion.

FUTURE EARTH NETWORK REPRESENTATIVES AT GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT TALKS, LUND, SWEDEN

The CEO of BERAS International Mr. Jostein Hertwig, Sweden, Dr. Arunas Svitojous, Baltic Foundation, Lithuania and five volunteers visited CIRHEP on 22nd November 2015 after the National Conference on Ecological Approaches towards Diet for a Green planet at Madurai. CIRHEP has been a member of BERAS India right from the beginning of its formation.

TRADITIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL AT CIRHEP TRAINING CENTRE

CIRHEP have arranged organic farmers meet with about 30 women farmers, 10 men farmers, 25 School students and 10 staffs were participated. CIRHEP have explained about its presence and its activities around Kadavakurichi Reserve Forest to the participants. NABARD and Future Earth’s help and guidance in the developing sustainable land use practices through watershed development and working with organic farmers groups for food sovereignty .The chief of BERAS Mr.Jostein discussed with the participants about the concept of BERAS- Ecological Regenerative Agriculture, Diet for Green Planet and Sustainable Food Societies. He explained about the soil health and its importance towards Ecological Regenerative Agriculture. The participants were explaining about their traditional way of cultivation (ecological farming ) practices, millet cultivation and their food practices. He further interacted with participants about the current food habits / systems in their daily life. The women farmer mentioned that, we are cultivating millets, pulses, vegetables and flowers in our farm lands. Due to the availability of rice, we eat rice based food mostly. We also consume millets one time in a day.

Mr. Jostein asked about nutritional availability and health food. The Women farmers detailed about the importance and nutritional availability of the millet food. But due to the availability we consume more rice based food. Otherwise millets, pulses and vegetables are the healthy food. The exhibition have been organized with traditional seeds brought by women farmers - Millets, pulses, charts and banners with information about principles of organic farming, importance of millets and pulses etc. The women displayed traditional food items (food festival) prepared by them with millets, minor millets and pulses. The food prepared with Sorghum, foxtail millet, kodo millet and Thennai and with pulses attracted the participants. And the women exchanged their knowledge about the way of millet food

preparation its nutritional availability. The younger generation school students also have participated in the discussion gained knowledge on importance of millets. The food festival helps women to understand the concept of food security and its principle source of energy-protein, vitamins and minerals which are essential for healthy life.

The women farmers involved in the preparation of organic inputs such as Ginger-Garlic solution, Neep kernal solution, Bio-pesticides using five different herbals , Amirthakaraisal and Tholuirkaraisal etc. The school students of the farming families (Young Generation Farmer) were demonstrated about the importance of water, trees, soil health and environmental pollution through games by play way method. The people participation and leadership qualities were explained through a game played by the Students.The chief of BERAS and team were really happy for the young generations involvement in the deliberation and their involvement in farming which is essential for sustainable food societies.The team visited the watershed area, millet and pulses cultivation fields. During the visit the techniques involved in soil and water conservation, building soil health and inter cropping, mixed cropping etc. were detailed and explained to the team. In the final session the chief of BERS International mentioned about the possibility of having learning Centre at CIRHEP for Ecological Regenerative Agriculture farms.

As part of common activity 2015, SECMOL conducted a two-day workshop concerning the issue of Climate Change.

Participants were from Eliezer Jolden Memorial Degree College, Leh. There were focused group of 35 students, with age group from 19 to 21 year olds.The workshop included movies on climate change, resource persons discussed the effects, processes and

LADAKH NEWS

CLIMATE CHANGE WORKSHOP FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

certain terms and phrases like ‘climate justice’, ‘adaptation’ and ‘mitigation’, etc, which were a new learning experience for the participants. Resource persons were from various backgrounds ISEC (Helena, Alex), South African Climate Science Student Ms. Isabelle Giddy, Mr. Tashi Morup, a Ladakhi researcher on Climate changes and its impact on Ladakhis, a Japanese working on the alternative development practices, etc.The workshop ended with a discussions

and visit to SECMOL campus to understand adaptation, and mitigation methods from Climate Change impacts. In the end the students decided to form an environmental action group, beginning with weekly movie shows related to environmental issues. Few students have expressed their desires in researching and learning more about Climate change and its impact, as they understand lack of local research in Ladakh.

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), a cereal crop with high medicinal and nutritive value, is a moisture loving cool-climate annual plant. It is a native of Central Asia, cultivated in China and some other eastern countries as bread–corn.

In India, the crop is widely grown in the high mountains of Jammu and Kashmir in the west to Arunanchal Pradesh in the east and also sporadically grown in the Nilgiris and Palani hills in the south.The name ‘buckwheat’ comes from its triangular seeds which is dark brown or black in color. The plant produces a flower that is usually white, although can also be pink or yellow.

Buckwheat, with a growing period of only 10-12 weeks is raised for grain in Ladakh which has a short growing period. The plant is particularly adapted to very poor and badly tilled land, which can produce scarcely anything else. Buckwheat matures quickly and

MOMENTUM OF BUCKWHEAT IN LADAKH REGIONis grown as a late season second crop in relatively warmer areas of Leh and Kargil districts where double cropping is possible and is grown as the second crop after harvesting the barley crop.

Buckwheat seed contains high concentration of all essential amino acids, is rich in iron and zinc. The plant also contains antioxidants. Young leaves are eaten as vegetables and the stalks are used to feed cattle. Buckwheat flour is used to make pancakes which also look like plain dosa and other local food items. Buckwheat flour is known as kuttu ka atta in the plains and pancake made from the flour is used during festivals.

Buckwheat was one of the staple foods of Ladakhi community a few years ago. Its cultivation and consumption have reduced drastically. The area under buckwheat cultivation has also reduced considerably. People attribute this to the changing food habits, easy access and

availability of cheap food grains through the Public Distribution System, growing competition with newer cash crops as the second crop, high sensitivity of buckwheat to climate etc. The plants are so tender that a single night’s frost can destroy a whole crop.

There is an urgent need for policy makers, researchers, health freaks, nutritionists to pay attention to the unexplored nutritional properties and immense medicinal value of buckwheat and revival of its cultivation and management through necessary promotional programmes and policies for enhancing its scope and thereby securing the regional and national food security interests and the livelihoods of the small farming communities. Early maturity and suitability of the crop for marginal and degraded lands would also provide an answer to the changing climate and erratic precipitation patterns.

For Private Circulation onlyPrinted and Published on behalf of Future Earth Asia Network by:Keystone Foundation, Post Box 35, Groves Hill Road, Kotagiri – 643217, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India Phone: +914266272277/272977. Mobile:+919442084097

Asia Coordinator - Tobias Peterssonemail: tobias.petersson@framtidsjorden.sewebsite: http://framtidsjorden.se

A three day farmer’s workshop was organised by Eko venture, an NGO based in Pondicherry during 18th to 20th November 2015. Eko venture has been assisting organic farmer’s association of Pondicherry in many ways through capacity building, conducting training in organic farming, seed conservation initiatives, arranging farmer’s exposure trip and organise organic fairs in the past. It also assisted to obtain PGS certification for two groups in 2011-12 where Keystone has facilitated the process including the training. The first day was demonstrated in preparation of organic inputs like preparation of cowped, Amruth karaisal, panchakaviya and bio pest extracts.

About 40 farmers from three clusters of villages around MathakadiPatti have participated. These farmers cultivate rice primary in two seasons and mixed crops for dry season. The farmers from Puducherry Pradesa Namalvar Iyarkai Ulavr Sangam also effectively participated.The concept and participatory principles

PGS CERTIFICATION INITIATIVES BY EKO-VENTURE, PONDICHERRY & ASSISTANCE BY KEYSTONE FOUNDATION

of group certification was briefed to the farmers on 19th with presentation. The basic organic standards and guidelines of organic farming, farmer’s pledge and the farm appraisal were briefed to the farmers. One member from a certified PGS group has show cased his group certificate, use of PGS logo on his package. There were some apprehensive about genuiness of the system. Hence, the need of local stake holders participation recognition of the system by the Government of India and following NSOP guidelines were briefed and convinced.

Through a PRA exercise, farmers have divided in to three groups by themselves according their farm land scape locations. Through this 3 local groups have evolved and elected respective conveners. The member details and Farmer’s pledge were signed within the group. Few farmers declared that their land was treated with chemical inputs by lease and restrained. However these will join in the group under the conversion category.

On the 20th, a farm appraisal exercise was carried out in Mr.subramaniyam’s farm amongst one of the group member, which makes them more transparent and confident. He has been strictly following organic practices in the last six years. The traditional rice is a standing crop primarily and cultivation of turmeric as intercrop in coconut was evident The Eko venture is assisting 3 three groups during this time and expected to furnish data in a month time. It also expresses that the effective function is vital in contrast with expansion; it would take longer but successful.

- Robert Leo