Ecology & environment

“In Central India, individual plant species figure in the first fruit ceremonies of the adivasi (indigenous) communities. During certain periods of the year, their fruits, flowers, leaves or seeds are not collected or consumed. This allows those species to rest for a few weeks or months during crucial periods for their growth or regeneration. The norms around these practices or methods are often embedded within the cultural-religious traditions of communities. As a knowledge system being transferred between generations, seldom are they explained or discussed in terms of ecology or conservation.” – Madhu Ramnath in “How culture threatens species A note on Caryota urens in South India” (Current Conservation 16.3, accessed 4 December 2022)
https://www.currentconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/16.3.pdf
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=20305

A not-for-profit venture promoting sustainable farming practices and a sense of participation by individuals and communities: reStore – Chennai

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Organic Farming: The reality behind the myths bu Karthik Kumar An edited version of this article also appeared in The Business Line newspaper http://www.blonnet.com/2008/09/02/stories/2008090251610900.htm Organic farming is coming under attack from many quarters, even as awareness spreads that it is a more sustainable and healthier way to live. Criticism ranges, from, doubts about its lack … Read more

Tip | Teaching children how to use a video camera: “Beyond Borders” on the universality of our need for water – Delhi

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Tushar Khurana, The Hindu, Delhi, April 15, 2013 Children experiment with a variety of genres to make films on water So what do you get when you take a bunch of kids, show them some documentaries, teach them how to use a video camera, and then leave them to it? Based on the evidence, the answer … Read more

Traditional honey harvesting by the Kattunayakan in the Nilgiri mountains – Tamil Nadu

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Text and photo credits: Accord team, Tarsh and Tariq Thekaekara, Gudalur,  July 24, 2013  | Read the full blog here >> Listening to K. Chandran’s story, we ended up with muddled emotions. The story is about his grandfather and his love for honey. It is about the ancient beliefs of honey harvesting still followed by him … Read more

Celebrations and deprivations: Experiencing summer at a Santal tribal village – Jharkhand & West Bengal

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11/06/2013 – by Boro Baski The hot season is the toughest time of the year in rural India. Adivasi communities struggle to cope […] In our Santal tribal villages of West Bengal, summer is a tough time. This season is marked by burnt grass in the fields, leafless trees, dried-up ponds, cracked land surfaces, hot … Read more

Assisting Irula farmers to market their produce: An organic food revolution in Chennai initiated by Nallakeerai’s team of youngsters – Tamil Nadu

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Read the full article and view another photo of the Nallakeerai team by R. Shivaji Rao >> The Hindu, June 6, 2013 A team of youngsters silently carry out an organic food revolution in the outskirts of our city through their venture Nallakeerai. Akila Kannadasan reports Two young men walked door-to-door selling keerai (greens) one morning in … Read more