Dear All
Today, the centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna Awardee Shri C Subramaniam begins. Shri C Subramanian, popularly known as CS is the architect of first Green revolution in India during 1960s which saved the entire country from hunger. National Agro Foundation (NAF) was started him on his 90th birthday, to pilot the second green revolution in India. With many eminent people on board, NAF is doing a great job in this direction.
On behalf of India Vision Group, we salute this great man CS for his contribution to the country. Shri S Rajasekar, the only son of Shri CS is also in our group and he is the Managing Trustee of NAF.
An Article about National Agro Foundation (NAF) has been published in Times of India in today edition . We as a INDIA VISION 2020 team had a personnel visit to NAF 2 months back .It was really an inspiring visit
Please read the article
Staff Report :CS, a visionary who sowed seeds for a greener future
CHENNAI: Just like his father and grandfather before him, Ezhumalai grows groundnuts and paddy on his two acres in Manappakkam, in
Kancheepuram district. Little has changed in the cropping patterns or the area around him, but what's made a difference to his yield is the fact that he sends samples of his soil to a lab for testing.
"Earlier, I spent a lot of money on seeds and pesticides, and only used urea. Now, the lab tells me what nutrients the soil lacks and I use supplements accordingly," he says. "I've seen a four-fold increase in yield over the last six years."
Most labs test soil for just nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The National Agro Foundation (NAF) lab that Ezhumalai and other farmers in the area send soil to does comprehensive testing for 12 nutrients. Forty per cent of the cost of crop production goes into soil preparation, which is why soil testing is so important. "We charge farmers Rs 50 for a soil test, but the real cost is about Rs 800," says R I Raghunathan, the foundation's CEO. NAF works in 40 villages in Kancheepuram district and about 30 in Thiruvallur district, focusing on agriculture, cattle and watershed development, literacy, health, sanitation, self-help groups and farmers' training.
NAF was founded by C Subramaniam, considered the architect of the Green Revolution, in March 2000, a few months before his death that November. Subramaniam's centenary year begins on January 30 this year.
The Green Revolution focussed on developing high-yielding varieties of seeds to provide food security in the 1960s. But in the 1990s, Subramaniam realised the benefits were no longer reaching small farmers. "My father realised we needed more technology transfers, from lab to land', and a comprehensive approach, to improve the lives of small farmers," says his son S S Rajsekar, an NAF trustee. Subramaniam, who was a state and central minister and received the Bharat Ratna in 1998, set up NAF at the age of 90.
"He was incredibly sharp and alert even at 90," says Professor M S Swaminathan, who played a major role in the Green Revolution. "Subramaniam was always one to act quickly on his decisions and it was a pleasure working him. He really understood that only by harnessing science and technology could farmers benefit."
But it's not just science and technology that NAF is working with. Their social development initiatives include setting up self-help groups in the villages. "We've learnt to save and use money sensibly," says Vanarvaja from Chunampet village, who is part of Thendral SHG. "The 14 women in my SHG have helped people set up eateries and ironing shops," she says. Vanarvaja and three other women from the SHG started a brick kiln in April 2008.
NAF also helps them market products. Ezhumalai says most families in his village now own cows, and the foundation helped them tie up with Arogya to market milk.
"We faced a lot of resistance from farmers initially," says Ramasubramaniam, a soil specialist who is part of NAF. "It took a lot of time and work to explain the need for a scientific approach," he says.
Prof Swaminathan says one of Subramaniam's gifts was his ability to pick and train a good team much like the team that runs NAF today. "Just like a great conductor creates a beautiful symphony, he had the ability to get everyone to work in harmony," he says.
Link : http://timesofindia"Earlier, I spent a lot of money on seeds and pesticides, and only used urea. Now, the lab tells me what nutrients the soil lacks and I use supplements accordingly,
Most labs test soil for just nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The National Agro Foundation (NAF) lab that Ezhumalai and other farmers in the area send soil to does comprehensive testing for 12 nutrients. Forty per cent of the cost of crop production goes into soil preparation, which is why soil testing is so important. "We charge farmers Rs 50 for a soil test, but the real cost is about Rs 800," says R I Raghunathan, the foundation's CEO. NAF works in 40 villages in Kancheepuram district and about 30 in Thiruvallur district, focusing on agriculture, cattle and watershed development, literacy, health, sanitation, self-help groups and farmers' training.
NAF was founded by C Subramaniam, considered the architect of the Green Revolution, in March 2000, a few months before his death that November. Subramaniam'
The Green Revolution focussed on developing high-yielding varieties of seeds to provide food security in the 1960s. But in the 1990s, Subramaniam realised the benefits were no longer reaching small farmers. "My father realised we needed more technology transfers, from lab to land', and a comprehensive approach, to improve the lives of small farmers," says his son S S Rajsekar, an NAF trustee. Subramaniam, who was a state and central minister and received the Bharat Ratna in 1998, set up NAF at the age of 90.
"He was incredibly sharp and alert even at 90," says Professor M S Swaminathan, who played a major role in the Green Revolution. "Subramaniam was always one to act quickly on his decisions and it was a pleasure working him. He really understood that only by harnessing science and technology could farmers benefit."
But it's not just science and technology that NAF is working with. Their social development initiatives include setting up self-help groups in the villages. "We've learnt to save and use money sensibly," says Vanarvaja from Chunampet village, who is part of Thendral SHG. "The 14 women in my SHG have helped people set up eateries and ironing shops," she says. Vanarvaja and three other women from the SHG started a brick kiln in April 2008.
NAF also helps them market products. Ezhumalai says most families in his village now own cows, and the foundation helped them tie up with Arogya to market milk.
"We faced a lot of resistance from farmers initially," says Ramasubramaniam, a soil specialist who is part of NAF. "It took a lot of time and work to explain the need for a scientific approach," he says.
Prof Swaminathan says one of Subramaniam'
With Regards
Kalam Nagappan
Managing Trustee - YHM
Ph no:9840390517
IMPOSSIBLE SAYS IM POSSIBLE
YHM ACC No :: 039501000379
BANK Name :: ICICI BANK
Kalam Nagappan
Managing Trustee - YHM
Ph no:9840390517
IMPOSSIBLE SAYS IM POSSIBLE
YHM ACC No :: 039501000379
BANK Name :: ICICI BANK
ACC Name :: YOUNG HELPING MINDS
Website :: www.younghelpingminds.org/web
Photo Gallery :: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19753662@N06/
Did you know? You can CHAT without downloading messenger. Click here
Please visit the website http://www.indiavision2020.org to read inspiring articles of eminent personalities
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
.
__,_._,___
0 comments:
Post a Comment