Vigyan Bhavan & Kempinski Ambience
10 - 14 February 2014
Delhi, India
blog
From the time immemorial human beings bought wild variety of crops and domesticated the same for the sustenance. Till date the tradition practice of taking filed crops in to the forested landscapes by clearing forests prevails. Human beings axed million hectares of forests for the cultivation of food crops. This practice has to be stopped completely. At present the forest cover of the country including the trees outside the forest is 23.81 percent. The Government of India as set a national target of 33 percent as a threshold limit to maintain ecological balance.
It is really frightening? And is very difficult to achieve. On one side we are promoting afforestation and on the other side we are giving environment clearance for multinational companies to undertake industrial projects. More over the population is increasing at an alarming rate and climate is changing rapidly. Hence there is need to find a wayout to change this existing trend. Indeed at this juncture there is urgent need to bring back the lost forests. It means integrating tree component in to agricultural land scapes, for this the ideal way is Agroforetsry. This practice will help in maintaining the balance between sustenance of human beings from cultivating food crops and trees in their farmland. Moreover it reduces complete pressure on forests and controls deforestation and promotes afforestation.
The way out
The ideal way to promote Agroforestry (trees in crop lands) is the “festival of tree planting “Vana Mahotsava”. This movement was initiated in the year 1950 by India’s Union Minister for Agriculture, Dr. K M Munshi as a crusade to save mother earth. During this event millions of trees are planted with energetic participation of the locals and various agencies. It is annual and is to be celebrated from July 1 to 7. Monsoon is there during July and is special month for trees and tree planting. The main objective of the festival is to inculcate tree consciousness and love of trees amongst the people and popularize the planting and tending of trees in farms, villages, schools, municipal and public lands for their aesthetic, economic and protective needs. Awareness campaigns are held at various levels.
Vana Mahotsava week
National Research Centre for Agroforestry, based at Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh has been promoting agroforestry since its establishment in the Central part of India. The institute has been celebrating the festival and created separate window during the first week of July (Vana Mahotsava Week) every year. As part of the festival this year around 8412 seedlings of diverse species of fruits and timber trees mainly preferred by farmers were distributed free of cost under the Parasi- Sind Watershed project in collaboration with ICRISAT- International Centre for Research in Semi-Arid Tropics and the festival was celebrated along with school childrens and villagers at the project site. The number of seedlings planted during the festival last year was 3061. The preference of farmers for particular tree/fruit species were studied through a pre questionnaire and it was found that majority preferred Tectona grandis the number of seedlings distributed 7300), followed by Bambusa vulgaris (1113) Citrus lemon (704), Emblica officianalis (550) etc.
The Mystery Unlocked
We wondered why there was huge demand for teak seedlings from the villagers and started enquiring them. Finally villagers spilled the bean. They told us the name of a teak growing farmer called Lakhan Singh in the neighbouring village. As on date he has 3000 teak seedlings and the current standing stock as of now will fetch crores to him. We were surprised to hear this and requested the villagers to take us to the mystery man. The team of scientists and group of farmers from the village reached his place. It was unbelievable to see the standing crop. He has planted nearly 1000 teak seedlings on his own during 2009 -2010 and right now they are 3- 4 years old. He is adding 1000 seedlings every year. We have interacted with him regarding his achievement and asked him to share his experience and views with the farmers. Now his farm has become site of learning. We invited him for this year’s festival. He has accepted our invitation warmly and witnessed the festival
Agroforestry- ideal way to integrate trees in to crop lands.
It is the only viable option to promote fruit and timber trees. It will help in increasing forest cover and conserving biodivesrity. Farm fields can be slowly converted in to integrated croplands or semi forests or orchards. Finally we can bring back the lost forests. For this the traditional tool of extension is vanamahotsava. Come and join us in bringing back the lost forests.
Farmer; An informal agriculture scientist
Finally I want to say that farmer is an informal agricultural scientist in himself. He has integrated his knowledge of all agriculture and allied subjects and he is practicing at field level. Our role as scientist is handholding and to serve him as a facilitator. It is clear from this case that farmer to farmer exchange of technology only prevails for ever and lasts for ever.
Photo: Celebrating Vanamahotsava with Lakhan Singh (face in rectangle)
Blogpost and photo by Sridhar K.B, Scientist (Forestry) – National Research Center for Agroforestry (Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh,India) – sriaranya(at)gmail.com
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104 People have left comments on this post
The Van Mahotsava is need of the hour, a our agricultural land is being encroached daily due to modern development and urbinization. well done Dr. Sridhar.
really its excellent thing that farmers of Bundelkhand farmers attracting towards the tree planting which can improve the environment as well as economic status. I appreciate work done by Dr. Sridhar…..
It is a good and proactive piece of work to promote agroforestry.
It’s really good stuff done by DR. SRIDHAR.K.B to promote agroforestry!!!!. Keep going sri!! All the best.
its very good efforts, we should celebrate at least a week along programme in all ICAR instt/ centre, to make model for other inst… university… i really take opportunity to wishes and appreciate work done by Dr. Sridhar ..
very nice….
Nice thought, this type of festivals are the need of Bundelkhand…..
Nice and worthy effort to save earth…………..
it,s very good work on forestry
A simple idea with great objective. It is helpful in disseminating technologies and brings forth impetus among the interested people. progress should remain uninterrupted.
Commendable work by Dr. Shridhar. Institutes like NRCAF, Jhansi hold the key for promoting tree plantation through awareness programmes like Vana mahotsav. Programmes like these can make the threshold of 33% green cover possible. Congratulations and all the best.
Good effort. In fact, such type of activities are required to promote agroforestry.
Dear Sridhar….
Really good job in the field of Agroforestry…..
All the best for Future…….
In the present scenario Pollution, Global Worming and population increasing day by day and the forest cover is less, whic is requried in present while adopting the tree plantation or Vana Mahotsava, Tree festival strategy is the best way to planting the trees near by or any other surroundings i thanks to K. B, Sridhar sir for doing this such a great work.
nice work on Agroforestry
very nice effort on agroforstry
important work on agroforestry
Its good effort by DR. sridhar to save earth
it s really good job. nice…………………………………………..
Good work… keep going…
Its good some one has been taken the initiative.
Good job sridhar, people should realize the need of trees and these kind of festivals will help us to understand the importance of agroforestry. keep doing
Nice work in the forestry field. In future it can be executed in all over the India.
Wonderful work done
Joined hands helps to reach the great goal…good work done … Dr.Sridhar. NRCAF
Tremendous work Dr.Sridhar. such activities are required to prove that forest conservation is a bottom -up approach. It aldo promotes tree growing among people. Kudos sir!!!
Considering farmer as an informal scientist is unique in this activity….only by extending agroforestry we can make people realise the importance of forests
Development & Conservation are like two sides of coins. Agroforestry act as a binding agent between those two sides..Vana Mahotsava will be a key tool in AF for promoting & Creating awareness of tree planting… Best wishes for Dr. K.B. SRIDHAR
A blog developed by D.r.K.B.Sridhar, A simple and most prosperous idea for development for tree cultivation among the people for development of our nation to become Developed country in the world by 2020. my best wishes for Scientist Dr. K.B.Sridhar for his success…..
This is really wonderful idea created by Dr.K.B.Sridhar to create awareness of tree cultivation to become pollution free nation in the world. In our Tamilnadu already we have established more than 40 thousand hectare of short rotation trees as Agroforestry to protect Natural Forest.my best wishes to Sridhar
Progressive farmers accept the knowledge proactively and create examples for others. Showcasing such case studies will be great encouragement for farmers . Well done
I thing you are the earth lover… Keep going and Keep on going for your goal… It’s a lesson of future generation. All the best, and all the good.
I appreciate Dr. Sridhar and his team for bringing such un noticed examples to limelight. I strongly believe that as the increase in urbanization and industrialisation leading to deforestation. But I find a huge demand for the timber in urban areas, Hence tapping the waste and un productive land areas to yield farm income is most appreciable.
“I wish that examples set by such people need to be honoured and encouraged to increase awareness and to make others to adapt such examples in their farm land”
I congratulate Dr. Sridhar K B and his team
try to target school children …………all the best
Sustainable Green Initiative (SGI) works to mitigate global warming, hunger and poverty.
Briefly: SGI plants fruit trees to fight global warming and also hunger, poverty and rural migration. The trees are planted in land owned by marginal/bpl farmers or in community owned lands. SGI works through self help groups who identify and work with such farmers and helps provide saplings and money needed to plant and nurture the trees for an initial period of 2 years. The money for the tree planting activity is raised from individuals , businesses and other social organizations as an ISR/CSR activity.
A sapling planted and nurtured for 2 years grows into a fruit tree which can provide sustained income to the beneficiary for 40-50 years or more. A grove of 100 trees provides sustainable income to a family of four and ensures that they do not need to migrate to urban areas from their rural communities in search of food or livelihood.
All this while fighting the ever increasing global menace of carbon dioxide and green house gas emissions which are responsible for climate change – the floods, the heat waves, the droughts, the cyclones and tsunamis which we on mother earth are repeatedly being subjected to.
http://www.greening.in
It is wonderful work done by Scientist Dr. Sridhar. All the best in future development in our nation
Vanamahotsava is the need of the present day because this can be the only method to increase tree cover there by improving the environment along with the efforts of forest department.
Good work done by Dr. K.B. Sridhar
Good work Dr Sahab………..keep it up
The article is interesting and this is the only way out to increase the permanent vegetation in the country.
Very good work and wonderful initiative..
great step towards environment conservation..keep doing more
Its good work
Excellent work
it is wonderful effect to conserve ecosystem and farmers..all the best.
Good work
great work sir..
Need of the hour to save our future….
Great work sir…
This will be a good initiative to increase the total forest cover of our country
goood work
Dear Sridhar
It is good work. It was started some 60 year back. It is wonderful that you are also popularizing in this international forum.
excellent work sir its very necessary to carry out this kind of festival in order to spread the awareness of planting a tree and its important in this growing urbanization and global warming. vanamahotsav is the festival to entire mankind and to the mankind. such works should encouraged and should be awarded.
excellent job.
Good one K B
I congratulate you Dr. Sridhar for this beautiful collection of facts and information regarding Van Mahotsav and Agroforestry. Wish you good luck.
Great work…
Every forester should know about the “Vana Mahotsava – The Festival of Tree Planting” to the objective of increasing green cover in our nation.
its a wonderful work Dr. keep it up
excellent dear Sridhar
EXCELLENT JOB FOR SOCIETY
A small step to reach the milestone. Always strive for the good cause, Good work.
Excellent work…keep it up…
VAN Mahotsav for green country
Excellent work.
Excellent idea of linking farmers with gov. initiative. congrats
very good approach.
Good work done
Good work K.B..Indeed this is a need of our to save ourselve and to save nature……But it needs be looked at the commercial point of view for the farmers point of view…Keep doing the same..
It is a good and proactive piece of work to mitigate environmental pollution………….. Good work Dr. Sridhar
This is appreciating step and needs to be expended in rainfed area of the country.
The people needs a inspiration to change! Congratulations…
Excellent work Sridhar sir…keep it up….
Good information KB
I really appreciate the work Sridhar. Keep it up.
Really good….we are implimenting and celebarating as hasiru habba…keep up the good work sri….
Sir, really this good effort to create awareness.:- good luck sir
Excellent work Sridhar…..
If Agriculture has to survive …. such events need to be promoted
Wish u all the best…..
congratulation , good work, keep encouraging greening Shridhar K B sir.
Great initiative Sridhar…keep it up…
Joining hands for the world scientist and the Tree Planting helps as an awareness programme for the younger generation as well as a warning for the world scientist or look after…
congratulation sridhar Sir, my appreciation and good wishes for taking up more social awareness thoughts. let us have a green nation.
jayanthi
Really very good work
it is good narration about tree planting
Very inspiring work sir.
One family, one child and one tree for our nation.
Dr.K.B.SRIDHAR
It is a good work.
it is good one
Really good work Sir.
Good Work
Good
Due to urbanization we have cut lot of trees, this kind of articles will inspire the people for increasing greenness in the cities and to know the importance of trees.
Excellent work
nice work
This is fine way of increasing tree Cover of the country and creating mass awareness among people. initiativNRCAF’s excellent initiative in Bundelkhand. Very good dr. Shreedhar
Concerted and conscious efforts are needed to revive this annual tree planting..well done Dr Sridhar…
perspective and challenging work performed by scientists of icar.. congrts to them and good luck those involved..!!
Sincere thought for future sustenance
good program..
a tree for the future
It is a good piece of work to promote agroforestry.
dr. sridhar good article. plat a tree and get oxygen free
Good work done
I thank for saying farmers are also Scientist. They need to study soil, ground water, wetness depth, temp, climate, rain pattern, laws, market, cash flow management & etc.
Promotion of Vanamahotsava in a large scale will benefit all.
Agroforestry is the best way to incerese green cover outside forest… All the best Dr.K.B.Sridhar.. Keep going sir..