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Environment consultant turns into farmer for good health. Re-introduces barter system in village and helps farmers get-through the conversion period from chemical to organic farming
“I became farmer for myself! My whole idea of farming is not to sell farm produce instead I want to check if I can live independently producing my own food. Secondly I want to promote living life in simple ways eating natural food. I have tried to create a balance in ecosystem by crafting micro climate and inviting biodiversity on my farm,” says, Ms. Purvi Vyas, first generation farmer. Ms. Vyas did her Masters in Environmental Management from Australia’s Western Sydney University in the year 1999. On her return to India she started working as environmental consultant till 2004 and then switched to farming since 2004-05.
Ms. Purvi Vyas
Her farm is located at Matar village, 45 km from Ahmedabad. It is a 5 acres wetland where she grows mixed crops, 0.5 acre seasonal vegetables all round year, 1 acre area is orchard of local fruits such as jamoon, guava, custard apple (sitaphal) and some ayurvedic plants like amla, baheda, hirda and soap nut. In 3 acres grains are cultivated namely wheat, barley, bajra and animal fodder (alpha alpha, corn, nilavu (as called in Gujarati), local desi grass). There are buffaloes, cows, goats and chickens in the farm.
Barter system was well accepted trade practice in ancient times. It is basically exchange of different commodities and there is no role of paper cash in this. Ms. Vyas re-introduced it in her village. “When I visited the grocer for regular purchases, I told him to take my farm produced milk in exchange instead of money. He agreed and others in the village too started buying and selling through barter,” she shares. Barter in the village began in 2009-10.
Food grown using chemical fertilizers and pesticides is undoubtedly slow poison. Consumers are aware and farmer knows it too but he can’t risk his livelihood that is run of scientific farming. “To assist them to get-through this conversion period I created a network of farmers and direct buyers that is monitored by the organization ‘Cohesion Foundation Trust’. Farmers are asked to convert to organic farming slowly starting with small area of farm. They are promised to be paid the money what they used to earn from that patch through chemical farming. On the other hand, buyers know the product is 100% organic so are ready to pay a little higher price for good health. It has been a very slow process because there is inconsistency on the farmer and consumer but is moving on,” she asserts. Around 25 villages in Nausari region, Gujarat are part of this change.
Price of agricultural commodities is fixed competitively to the market rates. “The price is slightly higher to include packing and transportation cost but the whole process is transparent. Farmers and customers are told as how the prices are fixed. My role in this process is not to make money but make poison free food accessible to consumers and make it viable to farmers,” she insists.
Wellbeing of the farm is first priority of Ms. Vyas. “Soil health is most important so it is fed with good amount of compost and organic matter. Over the period the soil has regained the fertility and has become home to many pests. To prepare the compost animal litter is mixed with agricultural waste,” she adds. “If there is any pest attack then instead of eliminating the pest we fix the soil.”
Intercropping is essential part of farming. “Plants also live in community as we do, so intercropping is must. In my farm usually pulses are intercropped with vegetables and grains too,” she says. Intercrops are selected based on the season and nutrient support to each other. “Tur (pigeon pea) plants are grown along with bottle gourd vines. Tur plants take care of nitrogen-fixation in the soil that enables bottle gourd to attain big size and the vines support the tur plants. Next, marigold is grown next to tomatoes. Pest easily attack tomato plants so when grown with marigold, the yellow colour of flower attracts the pest and tomatoes are safe.”
Farming can be sustainable only when there is value addition of agricultural commodities. Therefore it is the next future plan of Ms. Vyas to engage the villagers especially the women into value addition. “It is in the pipeline. It will be managed by women self-help groups. We will begin with simple products such as flour, dals etc,” she adds.
Ms. Vyas concludes, “Being a first generation farmer it is a great learning experience! I am educated but since 2004 it has been re-educating myself on basics of life in a rural environment. I meet many people specially the senior people in the village who have immense ground knowledge on growing food naturally. Along with farming I want to create awareness on agriculture to urbanites and make them conscious about role of food in their personal, society and environment health. Also I want to connect urban youths with the rural communities then the change will be speedy and enduring!”
Contact Details
Ms. Purvi Vyas
Vasudha ni Vadi, Near Rohit Vas, Matar Village, Kheda district – 387530, Gujarat
Phone: 09979358103
Email: poorvivyas@gmail.com
“I became farmer for myself! My whole idea of farming is not to sell farm produce instead I want to check if I can live independently producing my own food. Secondly I want to promote living life in simple ways eating natural food. I have tried to create a balance in ecosystem by crafting micro climate and inviting biodiversity on my farm,” says, Ms. Purvi Vyas, first generation farmer. Ms. Vyas did her Masters in Environmental Management from Australia’s Western Sydney University in the year 1999. On her return to India she started working as environmental consultant till 2004 and then switched to farming since 2004-05.
Ms. Purvi Vyas
Her farm is located at Matar village, 45 km from Ahmedabad. It is a 5 acres wetland where she grows mixed crops, 0.5 acre seasonal vegetables all round year, 1 acre area is orchard of local fruits such as jamoon, guava, custard apple (sitaphal) and some ayurvedic plants like amla, baheda, hirda and soap nut. In 3 acres grains are cultivated namely wheat, barley, bajra and animal fodder (alpha alpha, corn, nilavu (as called in Gujarati), local desi grass). There are buffaloes, cows, goats and chickens in the farm.
Barter system was well accepted trade practice in ancient times. It is basically exchange of different commodities and there is no role of paper cash in this. Ms. Vyas re-introduced it in her village. “When I visited the grocer for regular purchases, I told him to take my farm produced milk in exchange instead of money. He agreed and others in the village too started buying and selling through barter,” she shares. Barter in the village began in 2009-10.
Food grown using chemical fertilizers and pesticides is undoubtedly slow poison. Consumers are aware and farmer knows it too but he can’t risk his livelihood that is run of scientific farming. “To assist them to get-through this conversion period I created a network of farmers and direct buyers that is monitored by the organization ‘Cohesion Foundation Trust’. Farmers are asked to convert to organic farming slowly starting with small area of farm. They are promised to be paid the money what they used to earn from that patch through chemical farming. On the other hand, buyers know the product is 100% organic so are ready to pay a little higher price for good health. It has been a very slow process because there is inconsistency on the farmer and consumer but is moving on,” she asserts. Around 25 villages in Nausari region, Gujarat are part of this change.
Price of agricultural commodities is fixed competitively to the market rates. “The price is slightly higher to include packing and transportation cost but the whole process is transparent. Farmers and customers are told as how the prices are fixed. My role in this process is not to make money but make poison free food accessible to consumers and make it viable to farmers,” she insists.
Wellbeing of the farm is first priority of Ms. Vyas. “Soil health is most important so it is fed with good amount of compost and organic matter. Over the period the soil has regained the fertility and has become home to many pests. To prepare the compost animal litter is mixed with agricultural waste,” she adds. “If there is any pest attack then instead of eliminating the pest we fix the soil.”
Intercropping is essential part of farming. “Plants also live in community as we do, so intercropping is must. In my farm usually pulses are intercropped with vegetables and grains too,” she says. Intercrops are selected based on the season and nutrient support to each other. “Tur (pigeon pea) plants are grown along with bottle gourd vines. Tur plants take care of nitrogen-fixation in the soil that enables bottle gourd to attain big size and the vines support the tur plants. Next, marigold is grown next to tomatoes. Pest easily attack tomato plants so when grown with marigold, the yellow colour of flower attracts the pest and tomatoes are safe.”
Farming can be sustainable only when there is value addition of agricultural commodities. Therefore it is the next future plan of Ms. Vyas to engage the villagers especially the women into value addition. “It is in the pipeline. It will be managed by women self-help groups. We will begin with simple products such as flour, dals etc,” she adds.
Ms. Vyas concludes, “Being a first generation farmer it is a great learning experience! I am educated but since 2004 it has been re-educating myself on basics of life in a rural environment. I meet many people specially the senior people in the village who have immense ground knowledge on growing food naturally. Along with farming I want to create awareness on agriculture to urbanites and make them conscious about role of food in their personal, society and environment health. Also I want to connect urban youths with the rural communities then the change will be speedy and enduring!”
Contact Details
Ms. Purvi Vyas
Vasudha ni Vadi, Near Rohit Vas, Matar Village, Kheda district – 387530, Gujarat
Phone: 09979358103
Email: poorvivyas@gmail.com