In an ideal world, this would be the norm. If investors, corporations, and other like-minded entities enter the picture and provide these farms with the monetary support needed to offset the cost of running a farm, those involved at the ground level will be able to focus on the farm. Rather utopian a dream maybe, but as long as we live in a world where a farmer’s daughter’s marriage is dependent on how many quintals of rice he grows, the change will never come. 

While OOO Farms focus on returning to traditional wisdom, those at Annapurna believe in bringing youngsters into the fold. Many youngsters today are exploring agriculture as a career. However, very few will survive in this space. “As much as people want to connect with nature and make a change, farming is a tough world. It’s not as dreamy as people hope,” says Tomas. While more and more people are starting to chase a connection to nature, as of now, the younger generation is largely distancing themselves from farming. “Local skills are disappearing,” says Tomas. 

In the absence of people on the ground, the solution would be to rely on mechanised farming (large-scale mono-cropping), which goes against the goals of sustainability. Cornered and lost in a world of big money and climate change, farmers are on their own. In the face of ignorant politicians and apathetic consumers, the only hope for the sector is that change would come once people realize the importance of agriculture. “If people would see that this is an important sector, and as one where they can build a career, then there would be all kinds of possibilities,” he says.

Getting a new generation in is only step one. There also is the need for better training and educational systems. The lack of connection between theory and practice is yet another challenge. “The universities do not give any real training in practical farming. So while you may have a degree, you would not have studied enough to be able to run a farm properly,” Tomas says. Young people who are well-trained, and are taught everything from mechanical skills to value additions to basic computer and analytical skills, are the need of the hour. Training an unskilled person can take months and even years, which is a huge investment for a farm to be made. This does not account for any kind of accidents or other issues that could arise from having an untrained and unskilled person working on the farm. 

A major source of concern has been convincing traders and distributors to pick up the grains produced by these farms. Over the years, efforts like that of OOO Farms have managed to create a supply chain, and today, they ship 200 tonnes of produce.

The fast-paced life of today has allowed traditional and slow procedures to become extinct. Awareness, they both agree, is key. As people realise the importance of food and understand that they need to be mindful of what they put into their bodies the change will come. 

Consumers need to be more conscious choosers. The change in consumption patterns would automatically call for a shift at the production site. As long as the consumer doesn’t care, nothing can change because a farmer simply has to do what he needs to stay alive. 

“I’m not too worried. I think it will be natural,” says Tomas. The health crisis that is dominating the country in the form of diabetes, heart problems, and cancer is however pushing for a shift. Many are willing to pay premium prices for the goods labeled healthy or organic, he says, citing the example of the recent rise in fame of the humble kodu millet. A popular grain three decades ago, the grain was cast aside by farmers for cash crops. “Now, people are sick from that money. They have everything now but they are not well, and they needed the millet to kind of survive again,” he adds. 

Are these models scalable?

While both models have their own merits, the success of it all depends not only on whether it has proven to be successful at ground zero. Can these models be replicated across the country? Can we envision an organic India that follows these practices? The answer is not quite all that simple.

Shailesh believes that the OOO Farms model can be replicated easily across tribal communities. Of course, this is not a process without struggles. For example, having to correct the misconceptions and biases around sustainable farming and organic produce is one that would take time. However, he believes that with little hand-holding, tribal communities can be inspired to make the switch. With the current generation of most tribal communities being the first to taste the effects of modernisation, with electricity and roads making their way to them only 15-odd years ago, peddling back to old practices would be relatively easy.

Tomas, on the other hand, believes that the scalability of their model depends on the choices that people make. “Most people want to build their career. Not many want to join a community or work collectively,” he explains. However, the practices they follow can be applied anywhere. Farmers are free to spot something they find interesting and adapt it to their needs. Therefore, the flexibility of this model is what makes it easily scalable.  Tomas drives home the point that experimenting is key. To understand what needs to be done better, they need to work on the ground to understand the practicality and reach of their solutions. 

Shailesh holds strong to the belief that the future is indigenous. “There are 30 or 40 years of harvests left in the world and then the soil will refuse to produce anything. Then what do we do?” he says. Returning to traditional modes, he says, is the only way to survive.

The future, for Tomas,  is not just a farm, but rather a community that comes together to grow and create something that can be passed on to generations. However, he agrees that the reality is bleak. “It’s very sad and painful to see what is going on with the world right now. People need to respect nature and human beings and look toward a better life. But yes, that is quite a difficult dream to achieve, he adds.

Madhuri Kadam, currently focusing on regenerative rice and dairy at Annapurna Farm of Auroville and Krupa Joseph, writer and content marketer.

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