Fellowship: Nammalvar

Project Brief: Promotion of Sustainable and Ecological Food Production in India. Transformation of Agriculture into a system of community based self reliant and ecologically sound and sustainable, poison free food production.
Project Type: Fellowships (description)
Primary Focus: creating resources (description)

Secondary Focus: other

Area: Rural
Supporting Chapter Contact: Austin
Status: Support ended.
Project Steward: Vinod Viswanath
Project Partner(s): Govindaswamy Nammalvar
Other Contacts: Siddamma E
Project Address: , 17/9, 5TH STREET, SRINIVASA NAGAR,,THIRUVANAI KOIL, TRICHY,
Tamil Nadu  620 005
Tel: +91-944-262-4589
Stewarding Chapter: Austin
Aug 2012AustinUSD 925
May 2011AustinUSD 775
Feb 2011AustinUSD 161
Dec 2009AustinUSD 2750
Sep 2008AustinUSD 2875

Total = $7486

Nammalvar is an organic scientist, who has been working on sustainable farming, organic practices and fighting against large scale single crop farming, against international patents on indian traditional practices etc. for over four decades now. His exception work in desalinating over 6000 acres of land after the Tsunami earned him much recognition. He works primarily in Tamilnadu, but also travels in Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra, giving workshops on these practices and convincing folks to opt out of using harmful pesticides and fertilizers, and more recently GM seeds. He has written extensively (mostly in Tamil) and published books and articles on these practices that he espouses.
Transforming Tamilnadu state into an organic state. Emergence of organic markets in each district, farmers will have a broad based market system. Farmers will have access to knowledge and seeds for organic farmers.

Establishment of a community based Ecological Research and Training Institute in the farm maintained by Bharathi Trust, in Thiruvallur district in Tamilnadu.
* Publishing 30 booklets (related to eco farming) in three years.
* Publishing one trainer’s manual in 2008 and one field workers hand book in 2008-2009.
* Producing 12 video films related to organic farming to be used in curriculum and campaigning.