Attending OFAI’s Biennial Meet in Gujarat

Nine members of the Chorao Farmers Club attended the 3rd Biennial Conference of the Organic Farmers Association of India (OFAI). This conference was held on the farm of Shri Sarvadaman Patel (also the President of OFAI), who has been practicing Biodynamic farming on his 40-acre farm near Anand, in Gujarat.

Sarvadaman-bhai takes visitors around his biodynamic farm

Conference hall created within a bamboo grove

The conference was held over a 3-day period and covered both lectures as well as practical demonstrations that helped farmers exchange ideas and learn new techniques in a hands-on manner. Topics covered included the impact of climate change on agriculture, the role of organic farming in the context of changing climate, pest management, making growth promoters etc.

Interactive session on pest-management

Besides the conference, there was also an exhibition area where farmers had stalls and were able to exchange or sell their products, seeds and demonstrate new techniqies too. Our farmers set up a stall and sold our locally available seeds as well as farm-produce.

Chorao Farmers Club's Stall at the "Pradarshani"

Since we were near Anand, we ensured that we visited the Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL) Factory. Here we saw their museum that documents the growth and history of AMUL. We also saw the plants that make the various Amul products.