Terrascope Field Experience
Sirsi, India
As the Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen has observed that
"there is no such thing as an apolitical food problem."
One of the greatest achievements of India has been to provide food
security for its people. As recently as 1943, the Bengal famine claimed
more than two million lives.
The means by which India provides food security has recently come
under review.
The lessons of the debate are crucial both for India and for other
countries striving to meet the nutritional needs of their people.
The Location of IRCC
Agriculture in Karnataka
• Karnataka is an agrarian state known worldwide for its
production of coffee, raw silk and sandalwood.
• Agriculture makes up 64.6 percent of the total area.
• About 70% of the people of the state live in villages and 71%
of the total population is agriculture dependent.
• Agriculture in Karnataka is mainly done over 3 seasons:
– Kharif (April to September)
– Rabi (October to December)
– Summer (January to March)
• Karnataka is a major producer of rice in India, with Rice primary food crop
and sugarcane is the cash crop.
• Other cash crops sown in Karnataka agriculture apart from sugarcane are
cashews, cardamom, betel (areca) nut, and grapes.
• The cool slopes of western Ghats are well-known for coffee and tea
plantations
• Eastern regions are widely known for producing sugarcane, rubber plants,
and fruits such as oranges and bananas.
• The state has a 75% share of the total floriculture industry of the country.
• Horticulture generates 40 percent of the total income of the state.
• Sandalwood comes from forests
• Silk is very important
• The Kharif crops in Karnataka comprise millets, paddy (rice), maize, moong
(pulses), groundnut, red chillies, cotton, soyabean, sugarcane, rice, and
turmeric
• The major Rabi crops of Karnataka are wheat, barley, mustard, sesame, and
peas.
Food Insecurity High In Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh And Karnataka: Study
Food insecurity worsened in the most urbanised states of Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka …., said a study released by Urban
Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy.
Interestingly, the food insecurity in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka equally worsened
in rural areas in the review period, it said.
The report raised concerns about the model of urban growth that has been adopted in the three
states, which are considered exemplars for achieving high growth in the country.
At all India level, the report found, “the period of economic reforms and high growth has not seen a
clear improvement in urban food security across all the states.”
Besides food insecurity, the report also highlighted chronic under-nutrition among women and
children, besides, unemployment, water and sanitation in urban areas.
http://indiacurrentaffairs.org/food-insecurity-high-inmaharashtra-andhra-pradesh-and-karnataka-study/
Sirsi Terrascope Field Program
Purpose: An intensive field experience to ground truth the social, economic,
environmental and political realities of the complex food security issues
set in the context of India
Objectives
The Terrascope Field Experience takes participants on a learning journey that:
1.Offers ‘hands-on’ learning through immersion in and interaction with some of
the complexities and human elements of food security in India
2.Opens new perspectives on the environmental, social, economic and political
realities of food security in India
3.Provides opportunities for interaction with local communities, politicians,
scientists, food security experts and relevant institutions
4.Provides an opportunity for creating new relationships and team building with
their peers
Key elements of visit:
• Field visits to different agricultural production
landscapes and meet farmers
• Hands on field research in active agro-forestry
lands
• Dialogue with a farmers cooperative
• Visit an intensive technology driven agricultural
production system
• Meet and dialogue with local agricultural college
Visit to Agro-forestry
Spice/dry fruit/Areca land-Sirsi
Pepper
Areca Nut
Vanilla
Cashew
Visit to Local Cooperative Society
Learning and action planning
Earthwatch India Regional Climate Centre
Located in Western Ghats of India, a mountain range stretching 1600 km
down the western side of India.
• Globally recognised biodiversity hotspot, with nearly 5,000 species of
flowering plants and over 1000 species of vertebrates.
• Some of the forest is protected as Forest Department reserves, some is
community forest land where local communities have full access to forest
resources, and some areas are privately managed as plantations. The area
is densely populated, with heavy reliance on forest products.
Earthwatch works with the Indian Institute of Science at this site, which has
been conducting research ecological and socio-economic at the reserve
for 25 years.
Volunteers from HSBC, termed 'Climate Champions', assist with data
collection in the field and data entry, overseen by scientists from the
Indian Institute of Science.
Earthwatch Team/Research Partners
Earthwatch Team
Prof. N.R. Ravindranath
Lead Scientist
Centre for Sustainable Technologies
Indian Institute of Science
Research partners-IISc
Dr. Monowar Alam Khalid
India Field Director
Mr. Prashant Mahajan
Learning and Comms Manager
Earthwatch Institute
Our Climate Champions
Team 1
Team 2
Team 5
Team 3
Team 4
Champions in Action........
It’s break for Breakfast
Sirsi Base Camp –Hotel Panchavati
Facilities: Room/Pantry
Restaurant
Lecture Hall and prayer/tv room
Earthwatch Sirsi Offices and computer rooms
Field vehicles
Time to enjoy and relax.....
Shopping
Local attractions