Participation of CREATE farmers in the National Organic Farmers Convention at Aluva, 28 – 30 December 2023

The Organic Farmers Association of India (OFAI) organized the 8th National Organic Farmers Convention at UC College in Aluva, Kerala, from 28th December 2023 to 30th December 2023. The three-day convention brought together eminent personalities from farmers’ groups and advocacy groups advocating for organic farming in the country.

Influential personalities from the organic farming background and eminent persons from Aluva District, including the Member of the Legislative Assembly and the Dean of UC College, participated in the inaugural session of this esteemed convention. Mr. Anwar Sadat, MLA, Aluva, inaugurated the event and delivered the presidential address, emphasizing the need to create awareness among farmers to switch to more sustainable practices and transition away from chemical fertilizer-based agriculture to organic farming.

On behalf of CREATE, Mr. Satheesh Kumar, Program Officer, CREATE, along with farmers from Madurai, Karur, and Kanyakumari participated. They had a remarkable exposure at the event, witnessing the diversity of indigenous varieties of paddy, pulses, tubers, plantation crops, and vegetables from various states of India. They also visited exhibition stalls of several Farmers’ Producer Organizations (FPOs) engaged in marketing organic products and value-added organic products such as tea, millet cookies, A2 Milk products, and squash made from various fruits. Additionally, they explored organic cotton exhibitions featuring clothes made from organically produced cotton and colored with natural dye materials like Henna and indigo, highlighting their role in preventing skin diseases and their significant demand and market potential in foreign countries.

Furthermore, participants from CREATE took part in various workshops and seminars on sustainable technologies and farming methods, soil health, human health, traditional seed and knowledge systems, issues related to seed sovereignty, farmers’ rights prevailing across the nation, and emerging alternatives through various agro-ecological approaches of farmers and civil society organizations’ initiatives.

Impressed by the diverse cuisine served at the event, which catered to people from diverse places, participants noted the sustainable approach to food service, including the use of recyclable plates. Food waste, along with recyclable plates, was chopped into pieces using a chopping machine and used as a source of composting.