If you need to buy a pair of shoes, what are the various thoughts that would strike you?
“What brand of shoes should I buy?” You may even consult with a few of your friends to find out their opinion.
“What size should I buy?”  “What is my budget?”  “What color?” “Which outlet is closest to my residence?”
And many other possible and relevant factors.

On the other hand when you buy vegetables and fruits from the local markets, which are directly consumed, do you really give much thought to where they come from?
“Nearby villages or faraway lands?” “How they are produced?” “How many poisonous chemicals or fertilizers go into their production?” I presume not. It is quite ironical how we pay more attention to a pair of shoes and not the food which directly goes in our bodies!

The irony of this did not strike me until I heard someone say it out loud at the Greenpeace celebration of the World Environment Day. Greenpeace launched the 'Food for Life' campaign on this occasion, advocating for ecological agriculture in India. As a new and excited Greenpeace volunteer I sat there intently listening. Realizing that as engineering students we are programmed to deal with the most complex and twisted problems, but often ignore the simplest and the more straightforward ones.

In just three hours well spent at the celebration and launch, I have learnt a lot more than I have through all the environmental education books that I read in school. The aspect that caught my attention was a fresh and interesting approach by Greenpeace toward sustainable eco-agriculture, which is known as the Kedia model.

Kedia in Barhat Block in Jamui District, Bihar is seemingly a village like just another, but what makes it especially unique is the fact that it goes hand-in-hand with nature for its agricultural sustainence, rather than against. Instead of defiling the soil with chemicals pesticides and fertilizers, it used vermicompost and “amrutpani” (a concoction which contains cow urine, jaggery, etc.) which are both very beneficial to the plants in terms of nutrition and growth. Instead of people relying on the government’s subsidies on pesticides and fertilizers, the people of Kedia are proud and self sufficient!

In little over 20 months, farmers in Kedia have constructed more than 282 vermi composting units, where they convert ‘waste’ into nutrient-rich, organic fertilizers. The pits also receive slurry from the 11 biogas plants that have been installed alongside, providing a safer, healthier alternative to the burning of biomass as cooking fuel,” says Ishteyaque Ahmed, the campaigner in the launch video. Refusing to stop here Greenpeace has motivated the villagers to build “dry toilets”, which are safe and sanitary and also provide valuable compost.

The “Food for Life” campaign had some very powerful activities such as film screening, panel discussion and a short skit performance to communicate the message of Ecological Agriculture to the public. The event was attended by representatives from various environmental organizations, innovative farmers as well as general public.

Now if you are wondering what people like us living in cities can contribute, here are some things you can do, on a personal level:

  • First and foremost Do Not Waste Food. Take as much as you need and take more helping if need be.

  • Segregate waste. The kitchen and other organic waste can be beneficially used by the farmers as manure. If you have enough space you can create a small composting pit in your backyard.

  • Consume ecological products. The food values present in it is much more compared to conventionally produced fruits and vegetables (Refer below).

  • Ecological fruits and vegetables are not only free from all the chemicals (which you cannot get rid of fully in spite of washing the fruits and vegetables) but also much tastier. Trust me about the taste, I have seen the difference. Yes, organic fruits and vegetables are much more expensive compared to normal ones, this is the reason why: The farmers after production do not get to sell it themselves. The food goes through various retailers, and finally when it comes to us, the price is naturally much higher!

  • Support and visit organic farmer markets, where farmers sell their own produce. The price here would (surprisingly) be lesser than normal since the farmers are not investing on pesticides and fertilizers. This can happen only if people like you and me give their full support!

The most inspiring and amazing fact that struck me about the Kedia Model, is the beauty and the self-sufficiency of it. The farmers are “taking from the earth as well as giving back to earth” and the development is integrated. If this already successfully running model is implemented all across India, it would truly be amazing! We would not only be saving the farmer’s health from various respiratory diseases due to prolonged exposure to the chemicals, but also our own. I’m waiting for the day when organic food does not come at a “premium” price but is very common affordable to every single person in India, and I truly believe that day will come soon!

Saroja Latha is a Volunteer with Greenpeace India.

This article was originally published at https://thepratfalleffectw.wordpress.com/2016/06/08/blog-post-title/