Know your Farmer - AP Chandrashekar

Date: 18 July 2015

Venue: Nesara

Initiated by one of the volunteer at Nesara, Smt. Tanuja, this monthly program 'Know your farmer' has been highlighting a local farmer, his/her farm, farm produce and gives a historical background about the organic practices involved in the farm.

In this recent episode of the 'Know your farmer' series, well known farmer AP Chandrashekar graced the occasion with his wide range of products and farm produce that are well known in the Mysore region for the last 20 years. A.P.Chandrashekhar is synonym with organic farming in Mysore region. He's one of the founders of NESARA, a community initiative started way back in 1997.

The products and farm produce were kept for display and sale since morning 10 AM and organic enthusiasts started trickling down. Juices and Kashayam were on sale for the public. Visitors were impressed with the wide range of products and farm produce that denotes the hard work of Sri AP Chandrashekar.

Around five o clock in the evening, an interactive session was organized to discuss and share views on organic movement and state of affairs in general. One unexpected guest to this occasion was Sri Dinesh from Earth360 Enterprises, who is well known in the world of millets. The discussion drifted towards farmers suicides which is the fateful news in Mysuru district in recent times. Sri Dinesh shared with work experience of working with hundreds of farmers in the dryland region of Anantpur district. He pinpointed the 'loss of diversity' as the single most factor leading to poverty and distress in the region. Similar farmer suicides in Wayanad region during 2007 also was triggered by the mass migration towards rubber plantation by the local farmers.