RID POVERTY & HUNGER IN 50 INDIAN TRIBAL VILLAGES

THE EARTH TRUST (ET) REPORT APRIL, MAY, JUNE 2023 Safe food through sustainable agriculture We continue our work in sustainable farming against odds of climatic changes, man animal conflict and the challenges of growing and marketing produce with limited shelf life. To combat the shelf life issue we help farmers by value adding seasonal fruits, vegetables and condiments and reached a record number of bottles of jam and other preserves and hand processed condiments like turmeric to the market. We also ‘harvested’ horn manure (BD 500) buried in September 2022 on the farm where we grow plants needed for Biodynamic inputs. This would also be shared with farmers who find making these inputs far too complicated. We continue to grow and multiply heirloom varieties of seeds such as black carrot, amaranth, celery, dill, fennel, traditional bean varieties, corn and others. Seed conservation is an important part of what we do. Summer holidays brings us volunteers / interns and this is a huge opportunity for youngsters to be sensitized to safe food and ecological conservation. In May, our marketing and dispatch team won a special award at the annual vegetable show for meritorious work amongst small organic farmers. This was part of the summer festival in the Nilgiris visited by thousands of tourists from all over India and abroad. This acknowledgement by the district Horticultural Association is a humble tribute to the ET work and mission over the years. In June, 4 young photographers who train at a nationally renowned Light and Life Academy were assigned a short film on organic farming in the Nilgiri hills. Their cinematography professors are long time patrons at the ET Coonoor farmers market. It is hoped that this film will bring huge awareness of organic farmers in the Nilgiris and the work of ET in specific. The interviews with some of our farmers and customers was truly enlightening for the young people behind the camera. Womens Programme For Optimal Health through Skill Development The students of our Womens Programme received their certificates in Preventive Health and Skill development in April and the visitors including the village headman were treated to a colourful display of knitted and crocheted accessories and tailored garments and home remedies. These women are but a few of the hundreds ET has trained and influenced for better lives and livelihoods. As part of collaborating with other Nonprofits, in May ET sent a team of 4 to Shivanjali trust, Coimbatore. They were trained in handicraft making and will be paid a piece wage for completing assigned work with the raw material given to them. This will be an ongoing opportunity for these mountain women to earn a living from the comfort of their homes while taking care of elderly parents and dependent children.