Stories from the field
Jayappa
It was only after members of GREEN approached him that Jayappa heard of the advantages of organic farming. His first reaction was to dismiss everything he was told about sustainable agriculture; it seemed impossible that what they were saying could be…
Jayarathnamma
A community leader and entrepreneur in her own right, Jayarathnamma is quietly breaking through the social barriers that women have faced for centuries. A leading member of the Self Help Group in her village of Kolagondanahalli, she spearheads income…
Lakshmamma
On a warm, sunny day in the small village of Kulumedoddi, 62-year-old Lakshmamma is waiting outside her home to finish a deal with Janadhanya, the farmer’s society initiated by GREEN which helps provide market linkage for organic produce. Lakshmamma has 50…
Chandre Gowda
A path to a sustainable future Chandre Gowda’s eyes light up at the sight of his two children, little 4-year-old Rakshita and her younger brother 2-year-old Rakesh. As a father and family man, his greatest concern is the wellbeing of his family. With a…
Manjulamma
Women as custodians of biodiversity Manjulamma knows the challenges of being a farmer: if it is not troublesome pests and diseases that cause worry, then it is the lack of proper water supply that pose a threat to her family’s food security. Sometimes,…
Shivrudraiah
The economics of organic farming Like many farmers in and around Kanakapura Taluk near Bangalore city, Shivrudraiah says he was initially skeptical of organic practices and sustainable agriculture when he heard of them through GREEN. What he did know for…
Sujathamma: Individual Seed Saver
Confident and outspoken, Sujathamma is a natural leader of her community, mixing a strong sense of sense of purpose with a cool dose of truthfulness and honesty in…
Nagrathnamma
How GREEEN Foundation changed my community When Nagrathanmma first became associated with GREEN, she says, very few people in her village of Kulumedoddi knew anything about indigenous seed varieties….
Nagaraju K M
My journey to sustainability like his father before him, Nagaraju K.M is a well-respected farmer in the region of Kolagondanahalli, Ramanagara District. His many years of experiential learning first began with the lessons that his father taught him when he…
Noorawanduswamy on PGS
“I remember what it was like before, when I used to use chemicals,” recalls Noorawanduswamy. “I would come home dizzy with a headache and I would be ill for 2 to 3 days after that with……
Rudraswamy
How PGS changed my life Rudraswamy sits on the porch of his neighbour’s home, on a bright summer day, talking about his life as a farmer. Like more than 50% of India’s labour force, his livelihood is in the agricultural sector. And like more than 70% of…
Savantaiah
Savantaiah advocates organic farming For 50-year-old Savantaiah, the Green Revolution and its promise of high yields through chemical inputs proved too good to be true. That is because within his own lifetime, he has witnessed the affects that chemicals…
Rajamma
On seed banks and seed conservation “One year, we could not find any DAP* in the local market. We went in search of it everywhere, but we found nothing. It was a very poor harvest that year, even though there were good rains. We had become dependent on…
Neelamma
Neelamma is a small farmer from Veerainathoddi village in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district. She owns 3 acres of land and her family, which comprises 6 members, depends on farming for their livelihoods. Neelamma has been a shareholder of Janadhanya Farmer Producer…