18,000 villages, natural farming at heart of Gujarat Vidyapith’s mega footmarch

The footmarch — which besides witnessed a roadshow — was held nether the guidance of Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, who is besides the Chancellor of the University. Even arsenic astir farmers are alert of earthy farming and its benefits, they are reluctant to switch, fearing debased produce, according to the students and module members.

Sharing his experiences, Jaydeep Rao, a second-year MBA pupil of agrarian management, told The Indian Express, “In the villages we covered, locals cognize earthy farming amended than america but inactive edifice to the usage of chemicals excessively to immoderate extent. Their interest is little nutrient with earthy farming portion it is much labour intensive.”

Rao was portion of a radical with 12 students and 1 module subordinate who covered villages successful Mahisagar district.

The padayatra, which has been held since 2007, has antecedently seen students and teachers visiting fewer villages successful 4 days to acquisition agrarian beingness arsenic good arsenic dispersed consciousness connected literacy, de-addiction, and cleanliness, among different principles of Mahatma Gandhi. The varsity was established by Gandhi successful 1920, and to date, it follows Gandhian values of spinning charkha among others.

This year, however, 15-20 villages were covered each time — some connected vehicles and connected foot. “Many farmers suggested they spot maturation if earthy farming tin beryllium associated with a co-operative assemblage similar dairies successful villages. They asked however to differentiate their earthy farming products which they wanted a marketplace for,” Rao said, adding that information successful the padayatra turned into a beingness representation for him.

Several obstacles to earthy farming were besides observed by the students. In villages astir Balasinor, locals bash not person cattle — a necessity for earthy farming. A bulk of younker present person near their homes successful hunt of amended opportunities, leaving down the elderly.

However, successful villages astir Virpur, astir families are babelike connected cattle and dairy nutrient to gain their livelihoods. There are not galore into farming. “There are nary roads successful interior astir tribal areas wherever the farmers are utilizing chemical-based fertilizers contempt having 60-70 cattle successful 1 family,” said Vanshita Amin from Ahmedabad who was a portion of an all-female radical of 17. The radical was led by a module member, and covered 150 villages majorly successful tribal areas successful 3 days.

She added, “In Santrampur area, section tribals person cattle for earthy farming but if the neighbouring husbandman is utilizing chemic fertilisers and has a higher produce, they besides travel the same. They are alert of earthy farming but are not switching, fearing debased produce. So, acceptance levels are low.”

Listing the differences this year, Professor Ajay Parikh from the Computer Science section told The Indian Express, “This year, the exemplary was wholly different. From the format to the connection — this year’s padayatra was wholly focussed connected earthy farming, dissimilar erstwhile themes of de-addiction and literacy.”

Talking astir the experiences shared by the farmers helium met successful Kutch, Professor Parikh said, “Many farmers are bushed of utilizing pesticides and chemicals arsenic this outgo continues to summation each twelvemonth to execute higher produce. They privation to get retired of this rhythm but are confused. Among argumentation decisions, they privation amended security sum for earthy farming products arsenic good arsenic a defined marketplace for certified and validated products.” However, determination are occurrence stories excessively arsenic respective of them are already utilizing earthy farming, helium added.

“Students and module members’ experiences are being documented successful the signifier of a study to assistance execute the objectives of padayatra themed connected earthy farming,” Gujarat Vidyapith Vice Chancellor Harshad Patel told The Indian Express.

This year, students not lone shared theoretical cognition of earthy farming but besides had hands-on acquisition earlier they ventured retired connected the padayatra. A grooming programme for students and unit members has been chalked retired by Vidyapith’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Randheja successful Gandhinagar. Also, earlier they ventured retired into the fields, Governor Devvrat gave a peculiar lecture to students and unit connected earthy farming.